Real Monsters
by Visambros
Summary: How do you hold onto your humanity when you were never that good to begin with? How do you keep your sanity from shattering when it was already fractured? This is the story of Nate's attempt to survive the apocalypse from Day 2 to Day 41. Improved version of The Walking Dead: Real Monsters fanfic.
1. Beyond Moral Support

**There's a link to that PDF version of this fanfic on my profile. It has a bit more content and looks better than what is on this website. You don't need to read that version, but it's here is you want it. Anyways, enjoy.

* * *

_This game series adapts to the choices you make._

_The story is tailored by how you play._

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**Day 2**

Half of him thought this situation wasn't a big deal. The other half thought that the first half was a lying piece of crap and that there were roughly five billion things he'd rather do than go through this a second time. For example, the astonishingly lame and stupid neighbours of his friend were having an astonishingly lame and stupid party across the street. Mind numbing conversations over charbroiled barbecued food was a much better alternative to this.

But as Vaughan's pale and almost frail body paced around the small kitchen table, distressed puppy-like noises growing and fading with each lap, Nate felt no true need to leave his friend alone. This nonsense was nothing, no matter what the other half of his brain believed. They would deal with it and everything would be fine, regardless of how much the anxiety radiating off Vaughan caused him to feel a twinge of stress himself.

"Okay!" Vaughan said, voice normally a few octaves higher than Nate's had become even higher from dread. He stopped pacing and slapped his hands on the table, flinching when the legs scraped the unswept tiles. Empty beer bottles, a worn out bottle opener, and a cellphone shook nervously in place. Nate kept his elbow leaning against the lightly dust covered windowpane as he turned to look at him. "Um, we need to come up with a lie. It has to be something _so bad _it makes what I have to tell her not as… terrible." Placing one hand on the cellphone, he ran the other through his short black hair before giving Nate an apologetic look and pushing the phone past the empty bottles towards him. "And I need _you_ to do it because I'm, um, I'm horrible at lying."

| Why do I have to lie? |  
| Okay, let's do this |  
**| You don't normally lie |**  
| … |

"Wow." Nate said, arching a brow at him. "You _that_ nervous Vee? You don't normally lie about shit." Vaughan's moral code rarely allowed for him to lie. If he was willing to do so now, then he was far more stress out and afraid than Nate originally thought. Despite this, Vaughan still looked much younger than him, despite being only three years his junior. Maybe it was an Asian thing, or more specifically, a Japanese thing. Nate's familiarity with the Japanese didn't go much farther than the knowledge that Vaughan was one of them, Vaughan's girlfriend was half of one, his little brother used to be obsessed with them, they ate with chopsticks, created weird porn he could sort of get behind, and had cartoons called Annie May.

"Y-yeah. I-I… I know." Vaughan said, his nervous tick finally settling in and causing him to stutter. He sounded guilty and disappointed in himself. He pouted at the cellphone. "It's just… you know how Charlie is. I-I… I don't, you know, um… yeah." Nate nodded, needing no farther explanation. He knew plenty well how Charlie was like.

**| Are you sure you want me to do it? |**  
| A good friend wouldn't |  
| Sure, whatever |  
| … |

"You sure ya want _me_ to do it?" Nate asked, moving away from the window and closer to Vaughan. "'Cuz the moment you give me that kind of power, I'm just gonna verbal-fart whatever comes to mind."

"Um… Y-yeah. I'm sure." Vaughan said, not sounding sure at all. Nate smiled mischievously and picked the cellphone off the table. He dialed the number and placed the phone to his ear. Vaughan pulled a chair a moved as if to sit on it, paused, drummed his fingers against the top rail, pushed the chair back in, and paced around the room again.

| Will you relax already |  
| Stop pacing so much |  
**| Your head's going to explode |**  
| … |

"Your head's gonna to explode if you keep stressin' like that." Nate told Vaughan, following his movements with his eyes. The choice of words could've been better, Vaughan's expression of surprised hurt as he stopped moving made that clear. Nate scratched at the stubble on his face and looked away.

"Probably shouldn't have said that. M'sorry." Nate mumbled.

"It's… it's okay." Vaughan said softly, shoulders slumping. He took off his clubmaster eyeglasses and wiped them on a shirt a few sizes too big for him. The shirt, questionable stains and all, belonged to Nate.

"Hello? Vaughan?" The voice on the phone asked. Nate was always tickled by how feminine, if somewhat deep, Charlie's voice was when she wasn't nearly as feminine in person.

"Hey Charles." Nate said. Vaughan whimpered something in Japanese. Nate waved him quiet.

"Oh hey Nate. Ain't you got your own cellphone?" She asked.

"Yup." He said. "Left it in the truck though."

"Left it in the truck as in your fat ass broke it?"

"That only happened _once!"_

"Fat ass. Why'd you call?"

"It's about Vaughan." Nate told her. Vaughan sat down, the rapid placement of his weight causing the chair to creak and shift against the floor. His face was drawn, tense, filled with doubt, and still managed to look years younger than he actually was. Charlie made a puzzled noise. There was an edge in her voice when she spoke again.

"…That so?" Charlie asked slowly. "What happened to'm?" With a tilt of his head, Nate informed Vaughan that he was getting ready to freak Charlie out.

| He got someone pregnant |  
**| He's having an affair with me |**  
| He wants to break up with you|  
| … |

"Your boyfriend's havin' an affair with me." Nate said, surprising himself with how serious he sounded despite trying hard not to laugh. Vaughan mouth flew open, a horrified protest ready to fly past his lips before Nate clasped a hand over his mouth. Muffled words of embarrassment and surprise tried to force their way through his hand, which only made Nate's attempts to stifle his laughter even harder.

**(?) Charlie and Vaughan will remember that**

"Bullshit." It was tempting to counter the relief in Charlie's voice with his own sarcastic remark, but Nate opted to keep his mouth shut. It was silent on Charlie's end for a few moments, no doubt waiting for Nate to make some sort of reply, before she spoke again, sounding more irritated.

"Bullshit! You're _straight."_ Nate ignored the odd, mocking way she said the word 'straight' and continued to keep quiet. Vaughan stopped trying to speak and simply goggled up at him. Nate turned his attention to the very recent lip shaped bruise on Vaughan's neck out of fear that looking into Vaughan's mortified face any longer would cause him explode into fits of laughter.

"Nate." Charlie's tone darkened. "You still there?"

"Yes." He said. It took a substantial amount of willpower for Nate to respond with an equally serious tone.

"Good." Charlie said. "Remember what happened the last time you did somethin' like this?"

"Uh-huh."

"_Good._ But you're joking though, _right?"_

"No, Charlie. I ain't." Nate's lungs were burning with the laughter he was locking inside himself. Charlie's end went quiet again, and Nate wondered briefly if she had dropped her cellphone on her inevitable mad dash to find and murder them both.

"Are you at Vaughan's house?" Charlie asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"Good. Stay there so I can _fuckin' kill you!"_ The last part of her sentence was a siren screech in his ear. Nate jerked the phone away. The jerking movement also made him remove his hand from Vaughan mouth, and the younger man took this opportunity to sputter out half sentences and broken off words. Vaughan looked around the room in disbelief, as if there were an invisible group of people in the kitchen he could ask as to why Nate said _that_ of all things.

Nate put the phone back to his ear, only the dull ring of the dial tone. He guffawed, pressed the end call button, and tossed the cellphone back to Vaughan. The phone bounced off Vaughan's fingers. He did a pathetic juggling act before grabbing a firm hold of the phone.

"おやまあ!" Vaughan cried.

"She'll be here soon." Nate told him, ignoring the foreign words he couldn't understand. He went into the fridge to get them more beers.

"W-w-why!?" Vaughan asked.

"Why's she comin'?" Nate asked back with false confusion, glancing at Vaughan with a smile in his eyes before turning his attention back to the fridge. His hand floated above the six-pack before deciding to take the entire container. They needed all the liquid bread they could stomach. "Ain't it obvious? She's set-your-crotch-on-fire pissed and gonna try to kill the crap out of us when she gets here."

"Why did you say _that!?"_ Vaughan elaborated, his voice shaking and his brows furrowed.

**| I know what I'm doing |**  
| You wanted me to talk |  
| You're going to have a heart attack |  
| … |

"Vaughan, I know what I'm doing." Nate responded. He closed the fridge with his foot and walked back to the table. Vaughan let out a miserable bleat in Japanese, resting his elbows on the table and placing his hands over his smooth face. Nate sighed and continued. "Look, if I had said that you were cheatin' on her with some skank, Charlie wouldn't have come here right away. She would've looked for the woman first. You wanted her here ASAP, didn't ya?" Nate placed the container down.

"Then why didn't you say the girl was _here?"_ Vaughan groaned through his hands. Nate picked the bottle opener off the table and tossed it in the air.

"Cuz if Charlie thinks we both wronged her, she'll come here faster." Nate told him. He caught the bottle opener. "And the ways things are between the three of us she'd find it more believable. Besides… that didn't occur to me when I was on the phone." Vaughan groaned again.

"C'mon Chopsticks, let's go outside." Nate said. "It's better we wait for her there than have her come and break the door down lookin' for us." He tossed the opener to Vaughan. Grabbing a firm hold of it, Vaughan took a moment to look down at his fly. Seeing as it was not exposing anything he wanted the public to see, he nodded slowly to the idea of going outside. He pushed his glasses up his face, picked up the container, and walked to the door.

Nate, after looking down and seeing that his own fly was open, zipped up and followed Vaughan.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
You're My Boy  
—

* * *

The two men sitting on the stairs in front of the house were not assaulted by the sun's heat. The shade did not, however, block them from the smells. The rank and musky sweat of the people running around; the strong, burning charcoal that overpowered the meat cooking from across the street; the cut grass; the wooden frames of old homes; and even the heat itself had a smell, something hard to describe but undeniably there. All of this went unappreciated by Nate, more out of familiarity than apathy.

Vaughan once told him that the pros of having blue eyes despite his race did not outweigh the cons of ocular albinism. But irritation from the sun's bright rays did not stop the forlorn look from growing on Vaughan's face as he cherished the sights, sounds, and smells of the area. When Vaughan wasn't drinking his beer with a grimace, his Adam's apple moved up and down as if he were trying to swallow a stone.

**(o) Look at house**

The house across looked like all the other houses on the suburban street. The only thing that differentiated it was the smoke drifting off from the back.

"They didn't invite you to their party Vee?" Nate asked Vaughan, cutting through the silence between them. The younger man moved the bottle away from his mouth.

"They did." Vaughan answered. "I just, um, told them I couldn't go because I wasn't feeling well. I had to talk to you and Charlie so… I wouldn't be good company anyways." He paused. "…The guy who invited me, Tom, said that this lunatic bit his brother and now he isn't feeling well. But the brother still managed to make it to the party."

"He was tryin' to guilt trip you into going?" Nate asked.

"No." Vaughan said. His shoulders dropped as he averted his eyes from the house. "I mean… I don't think so…"

| Their loss |  
| You can go another time |  
**| Don't feel guilty |**  
| … |

"Don't go getting all guilty about not partyin' with'm. Those people are fucking lame as hell anyways." Nate said. Vaughan sighed.

**(o) Look at children**

The neighborhood squirts and rug rats played; tackling each other, running around like little monsters, absorbing grass stains into their clothes, and not melting while doing strenuous activities in such hot weather like any reasonable person would. Nate rolled his eyes at the display. Vaughan smiled, which earned another eye roll from Nate.

"It's like they can't feel the heat." Nate muttered around his bottle.

"I think I want children." Vaughan said, bring the bottle to his lips.

"To eat?" Nate asked without missing a beat. Vaughan spat out the beer, laughing and coughing. Despite his nonchalant response, Nate was surprised. Vaughan never expressed any desire to have little brats of his own in the past. Though he supposed it only made sense for him to want someone to pass his genes onto now that the future was so uncertain.

"No!" Vaughan exclaimed after he caught his breath. "Not to _eat!"_

| Kids are okay |  
| You shouldn't have kids |  
**| Children are gross |**  
| … |

"Children are fuckin' gross. Don't have'm. They ruin everything." Nate made a face as he said this.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that**

"They're not _that _gross." Vaughan disagreed. "And if they were, why would you want me to eat them?" Nate shrugged and continued drinking.

**(o) Look at public flower memorial**

It was attached to the light post across from Vaughan's house. The flowers weaved together to form a large circle. A picture of the deceased hung in the middle of the arrangement, but Nate was too far away to make out the face. He also couldn't tell what kind of flowers they were, not that he cared to know, but it could make out the colors; red, yellow, blue, and white. All were dirty and beginning to wilt, yet looked aesthetically pleasing despite the apparent randomness in the selection of the plants.

"What happened?" Nate asked, pointing to the memorial. Vaughan looked up and frowned.

"Hit and run. It was done on purpose from what I heard." Vaughan said, the muscles in his face tightening.

"Didja see it happen?" Nate asked.

"Um, no, but I heard it happen. It was the middle of the night. I heard someone scream and tires screeching. By the time I went to look the car was gone. The guy who got hit was… _God_." Vaughan squinted his eyes and shook his head. "I hope nothing like that happens again. We don't need any more violence here."

| There's violence everywhere |  
**| He probably deserved it |**  
| Maybe nothing else will happen |  
| … |

The flowers swayed in the wind. Nate took a big gulp of his beer. "He probably deserved it." Nate said nonchalantly. Vaughan gawked at him.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that**

"What!?" Vaughan objected. "How could you say that?"

"C'mon man. No one kills people in the middle of the night for no reason unless they deserve it." Nate said. He let out a burp that caused a few children to stop playing and giggle at him. Frowning, Vaughan looked away from Nate and cleaned invisible dirt off his glasses.

**(o) Look at truck**

Nate's truck was in fine condition. He upgraded it with a wax treatment, a new engine and fixed lights on top of the roof. He wasn't the type of man who fell in love with vehicles, Nate thought people who did were stupid and needed to get laid, but he liked his truck and was pleased he was able to afford everything that he'd done to it. It sat in Vaughan's empty driveway looking, in Nate's humble opinion, like the baddest motherfucker on the road.

"You wanna wait for your hand-me-down girlfriend inside the truck?" Nate asked. Vaughan inspected the truck for a moment before shaking his head.

"That's alright." Vaughan said. "I'd rather wait out here. Your truck looks awesome by the way." He had complimented the vehicle before, but Nate never got tired of the praise it got.

"It damn well should, I paid a shit ton of money tweakin' it." Nate replied, smiling.

"I can tell." Vaughan said.

**(o) Look at Vaughan**

The younger man's shoulders drooped. There were bags under his eyes. His throat still made swallowing motions when he wasn't drinking. He kept on moving the glasses on his face when there was no need to fix them. When his attention was not fixed on anything specific, Vaughan looked as if he were staring into a void. Nate noticed all of this and was more worried than he would have admitted.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

Vaughan sighed, an action that made his entire body expand and then shrink to a size smaller than it originally was. He put down his beer, took off his glasses, held them in one hand, and covered his eyes with the other.

"Vee?" Nate asked. "You okay man?"

"I… um…" Vaughan slid his hand away from his eyes and stared at the public flower memorial. "It's just, you know, I realized… I-I'm sorry if I brought up any bad memories because what happened to, um… to your brother." Nate clicked his tongue. Of course Vaughan would mention that.

**| I'm fine |**  
| It was a long time ago |  
| Then why did you tell me? |  
| … |

"I'm fine." Nate's voice came out flat. Vaughan stared at him. Nate cleared his throat and started over. "I'm _fine._ S'not like it's exactly the same anyhow."

"But-" Vaughan began.

Nate pat him on the shoulder. "Don't think about it too much Chopsticks," There was an air of finality to his voice despite the soft tone. "You have enough to worry about."

"I know. It's just, um," Vaughan sighed and covered his eyes again. "I can't believe I let this happen…"

"Let this happen?" Nate repeated incredulously. "Yes, cuz you _let_ yourself get brain cancer." It was the first time he said his friend's illness out loud ever since Vaughan told him about it over the phone hours ago. Brain cancer. It wasn't a flesh eating disease, it wasn't untreatable, it didn't break down the immune system and make a person run the risk of dying from the common cold, but it was still horrible. So unexpected. So out of place in a thing so natural, like barbed wire around a family home.

"I know." Vaughan said. "I know it's not my fault. I know there was nothing I could've done to prevent this but… it still feels like I could have done _something_. Maybe I could've eaten healthier or… gone to the doctor more or… God." Vaughan moved his hand away from his eyes and wiped his mouth. "I don't…" He sighed again.

**| What did the doctor say? |**  
| Do you have a chance? |  
| About Charlie… |  
| Exit |

Nate rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the sky. The shade no longer felt like adequate protection from the heat, though Nate wasn't sure if the day was getting hotter or if the subject of tumours made him more aware of the cruel weather.

"What did the doctor tell you again?" Nate asked.

Vaughan hesitated before answering. "I… I don't really know. Um, I think the doctor said it was at stage two or maybe stage three. I think."

"You _think?" _Nate frowned as he repeated this.

"…I-I didn't listen much after she told me I had cancer." Vaughan said. "I was just so shocked and… yeah."

| You need to pay attention |  
| You can find out later |  
**| She? |**  
| … |

"She?" Nate asked, smiling. "Your doctor's a woman? Is she hot?"

"_Nate, _not _now."_ Vaughan pleaded.

**(?) Vaughan doesn't appreciate that**

"Okay, okay." Nate said, raising his hands in surrender. "Just tryin' to lighten the mood."

"I know, just…" Vaughan exhaled. "I know."

**| Do you have a chance? |**  
| About Charlie… |  
| Exit |

Nate took a swig of beer and wiped his mouth. He rubbed the back of his neck again and frowned at the ground.

"You never told me what your chances are at beatin' this. Is it too late or… whatever?" Nate said this without looking at Vaughan.

Vaughan sighed again. "The doctor said I should've come sooner." Nate spared him a quick glance before looking away. "But," Vaughan continued. "She also said it wasn't too late. If I took chemo it would be difficult to get rid off, and my chances aren't as positive, but it's not impossible that I'll live." It's not impossible. Nate hated the wording of that. It sounded like an indirect way of saying that the chances were akin to an ugly chick winning a beauty pageant. It's not impossible that your mother will stop drinking. It's not impossible that you'll afford the medication. It's not impossible that you'll live.

Nate only nodded at Vaughan's answer, face not betraying his distaste for what was said. Vaughan nodded back at him.

**| About Charlie… |**  
| Exit |

"Whatcha gonna tell Charles went she gets here?" Nate asked, smirking.

"T-tell her the truth, _obviously._" Vaughan's voice wobbled. A light pink color rose to his cheeks. "I-I mean, I'm not going to make her continue to… to think… Nate _why did you tell her that?_ My girlfriend is going to kill us!"

"Hey now," Nate chuckled. "Maybe things won't end badly-"

"_Ugh." _Vaughan interjected in disbelief.

"-Maybe she'll come over, forgive us, and suck us both off." The smile on Nate's face grew as Vaughan's face turned a bright shade of red.

"S-she'd be more inclined to, u-um, bite down at this point." Vaughan choked out after stuttering incomprehensibly. Nate threw his head back and laughed. Vaughan's lips twitched upward in an attempt to smile.

Vaughan waited for Nate's laughter to die down before speaking again. "Um… seriously though… y-you don't think Charlie will leave me because of this, do you?" He turned the upper half of his body towards Nate. He fidgeted in place and gave him a look weighed down by a week's worth of sleepless nights, unfinished meals, and cancelled phone calls. Nate averted his eyes from that look and scratched his chin.

| I have no idea |  
| Time to look for a new girlfriend |  
**| She won't |**  
| … |

Nate took a finger and dug it into his ear. _"Nah."_ He drawled. "Charlie won't leave ya. She dealt with worse shit with me." He removed his finger and wiped the gunk onto his jeans.

"Really?" Vaughan asked, his voice filled with a youthful optimism Nate hadn't heard in while.

"Your hand-me-down girlfriend ain't gonna dump your ass cuz you're sick. She'd reach into your head an' pull the goddamn tumor out if she could." Nate paused. "Except… now that you've been a lil puss, she'd be more likely to smash your brains out than fix it."

"…Why didn't you tell me that _before?"_ Vaughan whined.

"I was bored." Nate's unashamed answer caused Vaughan to gape at him before covering his face with his hands.

"Naaaaate." Vaughan moaned.

"Whaaaat?" Nate mock-echoed his moan.

"あなたは私にこれを行うことはできません." Vaughan's tone was distressed and irritable.

"I dunno whatja said, but I'm gonna assume you forgive me." Nate replied, earning another exasperated bleat from Vaughan.

**| Exit |**

"It looks like we both could use a refill." Nate said, motioning to the vacant beer container and their empty bottles. Vaughan looked at his own like he forgot he was still holding it. He shook the bottle back and forth, listening for the last bit of beer to knock against the insides, but no sound was made.

"Well," Vaughan said, "If you're going to get some more, please be quick. I-I don't want to be on my own when Charlie comes." He looked at both ends of the street.

**| I'll protect you |**  
| You pussy |  
| I'll be quick |  
| … |

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Nate teased, patting him on the shoulder as he rose. "I won't let Charles _ripping your balls off forever time."_

**(?) Vaughan will remember that**

Vaughan suppressed a chuckle. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"

"I miss when your English was terrible."

"At least I don't get comments like 'You need to speak proper English. You're in America now' anymore."

"Aw fuck _him._ Your accent was hilarious. Used to piss myself laughing all the time." Nate made to turn towards door when he spotted Charlie's convertible speeding down the road.

"She's comin'." Nate told Vaughan. The younger man flinched. He fidgeted with his glasses, placed them back onto his face, and stood up alongside Nate.

"I-I'm not ready to tell her." Vaughan admitted. He ran his fingers through his hair and flexed to hands. "I-I know I have to tell her, she's my girlfriend but… I don't w-want her to know I have cancer."

| You want to keep lying? |  
**| Better get it over with |**  
| Stop freaking out already |  
| … |

"Better get it over with Chopsticks. It'll be much harder if you put it off." Nate said. Vaughan nodded without taking his eyes off the road.

Charlie's car came inches from colliding into Nate's truck before it screeched to a stop in front of the curb. The children were startled by the noise and screamed, running away from the stationary convertible. A few of the neighbors peeked passed the blinds of their windows and opened their doors to see if an accident had happened. Noticing that nothing was out of the ordinary, they quickly went back to their own lives.

The car door opened. Charlie stepped out. She had a weapon in her hand.

"Is… is that a _s-sword!?"_ Vaughan stammered in a low voice, his eyes widening.

"Butcher's knife, actually." Nate said, matching Vaughan's low tone without the fear. "I wonder how she got that." Charlie stormed towards them, strands of her kinky curly hair that escaped being tied into a hastily made bun bobbed up and down as she advanced. Her face was red, not from crying, because Charlie _never_ cried, but from her rage forcing the blood to her head. Since Charlie's skin was camel colored, Nate was actually impressed by the pigment change. Charlie came to a halt in front of the two men, brown eyes burning into theirs. Vaughan covered the lip shaped bruise on his neck with a hand.

**| What's up? |**  
| We can explain |  
| This is all Vaughan's fault |  
| … |

"Hey babe, what's up?" Nate greeted, as if the call he made had been normal and not caused her to come over armed and ready to kill.

"_What do you mean 'what's up'!?"_ Charlie screeched. The butcher's knife shook at her side.

"C-Charlie-" Vaughan's timid voice was interrupted by Charlie ranting at him in Japanese. Vaughan responded to her, foreign words tense and startled. Nate stepped forward and in front of Vaughan, raising a hand in the air.

"Hey, hi, I don't speak your Annie May language." Nate told the both of them, wiggling his fingers. "At least speak engrish for me."

Charlie hissed. "You two got five fuckin' second to explain yourselves, _now,_ before I stab _this,"_ She waved to knife at them. "So far up your asses that you vomit shit!" The children on the street had begun to stare at the three adults, the concept of discretion lost to them.

| I lied |  
**| Only five seconds? |**  
| Not much to say |  
| … |

"Only five seconds? Gonna need more time to tell you everythin'." Nate said.

"Five! Four!" Charlie counted with barely veiled resentment in her voice.

Nate couldn't help but laugh. "Charlie calm down."

"Fuck you!" She snapped, raising the knife. "Three! Two!"

"W-wait! Charlie stop! I-" The screeching tires and roaring engine of another car speeding down the road cut Vaughan off before he could say more. The three of them watched as it swerved between both lanes before clipping the side of Charlie's car. Charlie screamed indignantly as her car almost tipped over, but the roar of the car's engine drowned it out. The car continued to drive in erratic circles; running over lawns, sprinklers, scraping against a fire hadron, flattening children's toys, until it drove into the house of partying people across the street.

The sound of glass and metal crumpling as the car collided with and through the wall of the house was explosive. Parents rushed towards their small children and brought them inside. Entire families, kids aside, left their houses to see what havoc had come to their street once again. No one, however, made a move to see if the person in the vehicle was still alive or if any of the occupants in the damaged house were hurt. Everyone looked at everyone else or at the house or what could be seen of the car, waiting for someone to come to the rescue.

"What the shit…" Nate whispered. His eyes threatened to pop out of his head.

"My fucking car." Charlie growled under her breath. She walked towards her convertible, fuming as she got closer to it. The sight of his girlfriend walking away distracted Vaughan long enough to snap him out of his shock.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
A Woman Scorned  
—

"Nate!" Vaughan said, shaking Nate's shoulder. "We need to help them!"

**| Wait for the police |**  
| Fine, let's go |  
| YOU can go |  
| … |

"Vee, wait for the police to come." Nate told him.

"B-but…" Vaughan said. "But w-what if someone's been hurt?"

"What'll we if someone _has_ been hurt? We ain't doctors." Nate pointed out. A rebuttal was about to leave Vaughan's mouth when the screaming began. The crowd that gathered around the house backed away as horrible crying, pained shrieking, gunshots, and an unexplainable moaning and hissing polluted the area. A bawling and bleeding man holding a gun tried to leave the house through the hole in the wall but was pulled back in by a dark hand. He released the gun as he was dragged, howling for help. The gun went sliding onto the driveway.

The crowd backed away even farther; some ran into their homes, others were too stunned to move. Charlie shot the house a confused and guarded look.

"Okay, the police ain't gonna come on time." Nate breathed, pulling at the collar of his shirt. "We need to do somethin'."

"Y-yeah…" Vaughan whispered back, his voice shaking. Nate turned away from the house of screaming and moaning voices.

"Do ya have your bow and arrows?" Nate asked.

"T-they're inside." Vaughan said, still staring at the house.

"Get 'em." Nate ordered. "They're goin' to be useful outside of competitions for once." Vaughan nodded and broke his gaze of the house to look at his friend.

"What are you going to do?" Vaughan asked.

"A man dropped a gun on the driveway. I'm going to take it and shoot these fuckers." Nate answered.

"Have you used a gun before?" Vaughan asked, worried.

| It can't be that hard |  
| Maybe |  
| Nope |  
**| … |**

Nate didn't answer that; instead he smiled awkwardly at Vaughan.

**(?) You didn't answer Vaughan**

"I-I'm going to take that as a yes." Vaughan said. "Y-you could always ask Charlie for the butcher's knife i-if you don't want to use the gun. Be careful." Vaughan ran back into his house. Nate watched him go in before jogging towards the wrecked house. Before he got off Vaughan's property, a shrill gurgle of a scream punctured the air amidst the groaning and other shouts of pain. The crowd recoiled. Charlie flinched but kept her eyes on her car. Nate froze mid jog. The scream stopped as soon as it had started, cutting off instead of fading into the other sounds of distress. Nate turned and jogged to Charlie.

He knew he was stalling. He knew he should just go to the broken house as soon as possible. But his nerves went weak from that god-awful scream. Nate needed a bit more time to strengthen them back up. It didn't matter that time for the partygoers across the street was limited. From what Nate could see, he was the only person aside from Vaughan willing to anything to help, and he wasn't going to do much good if he went into that chaos shaking like there were ants in his body.

Nate reached the car and stopped beside Charlie.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

"Charles, I need to borrow your ass stabber." Nate told her quickly, pointing to the knife. Charlie kept her eyes on the deep scrapes and indents on her car.

"No. Eat a dick." Charlie growled. She paused and asked in a less aggressive tone. "…Why to you want it?"

"I'm going to help out with whatever's happenin' over there." Nate said.

"What? Why?" Charlie asked, turning her head towards him. "Let the police handle it, asshole."

"They ain't gonna come on time." Nate said.

"So _you're_ gonna to do their job? Run in there like fuckin' Rambo?" A loud yelp came from the house as soon as she finished talking. They both looked at the house before looking back at each other.

| Please give me the knife |  
| Someone has to help them |  
**| I'm Rambo |**  
| … |

"In town you're the law, out here it's me." Nate gave his best Sylvester Stallone impression. Charlie rolled her eyes and blew olive coloured strands of hair away from her face.

"How is it that you have two heads yet are still so fuckin' stupid?" She asked.

"Cuz I can only think with one at a time." Nate said.

"If mathematicians counted much you thought in a day, they'd come up with negative numbers." Charlie said. Another agonized scream came from the house.

"Gotta go." Nate told her. He stalled long enough. Afraid or not, he needed to drop his balls and deal with the situation before it was too late. He began to walk away from the car.

"Nate. _Wait."_ Charlie called. He stopped and tilted his head in her direct. "Don't do this. It ain't worth the risk."

**| Come with me |**  
| I'll be fine |  
| I'll fix your car when I get back |  
| … |

"Come with me." Nate told her. If he had Charlie backing him then he'd feel slightly better about rushing into whatever danger was ahead. She frowned.

"No." Charlie said. "Ain't no way I'm riskin' my life for strangers."

"Fine." Nate grumbled and walked away from her. A section of the people who hadn't left were in his way, standing in front of Vaughan's driveway. Nate grabbed the shoulders of whoever was blocking him and lightly moved them. One of the people he touched squealed in surprise, causing the rest of them to turn around and look at Nate, unconsciously clearing a path for him. He overheard a few whispered comments asking their neighbours what he was planning to do, ridicule about how he was crazy, and the hopes that the police would come before he got hurt. Nate ignored them.

"Useless dumbasses." He murmured under his breath. The air smelt like exhaust, burned tires and, for a reason that Nate couldn't explain, rotting flesh. He felt the number of broken pieces of metal, glass, and wood under his feet increase the closer he got to the house. As he reached the driveway of the former house party, it occurred to him that he no longer heard distressed sounds. It wasn't silent; there were strange chewing, crunching, and gnawing noises; there were groaning and moaning; but no crying, no yelling, and no sounds of the partygoers trying to fight back.

Fear slithered from Nate's stomach and into his chest.

**(o) Look at gun**

The gun, a glock, laid beside a large piece of the car.

**(o) Look at car piece**

"What part of the car is that?" Nate asked himself. "It might be a part of the door, but I can't fucking tell… Maybe I could use this as a melee weapon."

**(o) Pick up car piece**

He took a handful of his shirt and ripped it off. He then held the car piece and wrapped around the part that he would use as a handle. Nate squeezed it tightly to make sure it wouldn't cut him and nodded when it didn't.

**(o) Pick up gun**

Nate bent down and picked up the gun. Nate had held fake guns before but never held, let along fired, a real one. Not like Casey had. Now he was going to try shoot dangerous people with one. This was insane.

"Too late to back down now." Nate murmured to himself. "'Sides, there are people watchin'." He looked behind him and saw the crowd of people staring back at him expectantly, fearfully. Hopeful. All he needed to do was get the attention of the bastards inside of the house. Nate inhaled.

| Come out! |  
**| Hey assholes! |**  
| Fuck you! |  
| … |

"Hey assholes! Hope you like heat because you're goin' to hell in five seconds!" Nate yelled. He held the gun in what he thought was the correct one-handed aiming position and waited for them to come out. All noise in the house stopped. Nate fought the urge to shout out again. He heard concerned muttering from behind him but ignored it. He wiped his forehead with the back of the hand holding the car piece.

Before he had finished wiping, he heard someone behind him scream. He spun towards the crowd, thinking that they were being attacked. However, to his unease and confusion, they were unharmed. Instead, the crowd was looking behind him, wide-eyed with fear. Nate turned around and nearly dropped his gun.

What came out of the house wasn't a gang of thugs. It was rotting flesh, split skin, bloody drool, and angry eyes. It was dragging feet, gashing hands, hissing and groaning voices, and dangerous thoughts. These we're fucking _people_ once. Nate recognized some of Vaughan's neighbours in the growing gang of monsters. They were people once so how did they turn into such horrid things?

"_Oh my God."_ Nate whispered, voice shaking out of him. One of them was nearing him. He backed up, nearly tripping over his feet. Stabilizing himself, Nate raised his gun and car piece and prepared to attack.

**(o)(o)**

Nate upturned his left arm and brought the car piece down on the zombie's neck. Black blood sprayed out, hitting him in the face. The monster tried to grab at him and Nate put a bullet through its head.

**(o)**

A monster of someone he had never seen before stumbled towards him. It's face was smashed in and pieces of glass protruded out of different parts of its body. Nate distractedly wondered if this had be the driver before impaling its eye with the car piece.

**(o)(o)(o)**

One who might have at one point been Tom lashed out at him. It took Nate three bullets to put it down.

**(o)(o)(o)**

Another monster shambled toward Nate, stepping over the one that had just fallen. Nate shot it in the chest, expecting it to fall down. The force of the bullet caused it to stumble back, but it did not collapse. It continued on its way, hissing and moaning towards Nate no more disturbed than it had been before.

Nate tried to shoot it in the head and missed. He fired again and missed again. He backed up, raising the car piece to hit the damn thing when a butcher's knife sliced through the side of its head. He turned to his left and stared at Charlie as she put her foot to the monster's side and kicked it away. She said nothing to him and went after the others.

He turned his attention back to the rest of the monsters, but he did so far too late. One of them grabbed hold of Nate.

"Fuck!" He screamed. Nate jerked and the gun flew out of his hand. "_Fuck!_"

**««Q»»**

The monster dug its boney hand's into the skin of Nate shoulders and attempted to bite down on his neck. He turned the car piece horizontally against the creature's chest and pushed, straining against the weight of the monster.

**[E]**

He shoved hard against the thing. It staggered back but did not let go. Nate yanked his arms towards himself in an attempt to pull free, inadvertently dropping the car piece, but the monster did not release its hold and was brought forward into Nate's body. This caused them both to fall down. Fear kept him from feeling most of the pain as his body slammed into the pavement.

**««Q»»**

Nate took hold of the monster's neck and pushed upwards to keep it from biting the flesh off his face. The weight of the monster's body was intensified now that Nate was supporting it through the neck. The thing bared its teeth, snapping them together as it got closer. Nate felt its bloody drool run down his face. His eyes burned as it hissed hot breath into them. Nate turned his head and felt its nose touch his check and-

It stopped moving. Nate slowly looked at the monster's face. Its jaw had gone slack, its eyes stared into nothing, and an arrow poked out of its right ear. Nate threw the thing off of him and looked in the direction the arrow had come from.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Slamming Rotten  
—

Vaughan's stance fixed in the position he was in when he let the arrow go. His wide eyes stared with mute horror at the thing he just killed. Nate stood up, his legs shaking, and wiped the muck off of his face with a trembling hand. This action took Vaughan out of his stunned state.

"A-are you alright?" Vaughan asked, running up to him. Behind Nate, Charlie killed the last monster in the front yard, stabbing it through the neck and up into its brain. The thing went slack and Charlie yanked the knife out. A dull thud echoed off the ground as its body collapsed. Vaughan looked at the fallen monster, muffling a gag through clamped lips. He looked at the one he had just killed, his aghast growing, and turned his attention back to Nate.

"Nate? D-did…" Vaughan quivered. "D-did I just k-kill someone? Did we just _kill_ people? I-I shot someone in the head… but it doesn't look human anymore. I mean they kind of do, but not really? _God… _私は殺人犯ではない."

| Yes we did |  
| No we didn't |  
**| High five |**  
| … |

"Give me five." Nate said, willing his hand not to shake as he raised it. Vaughan paused before slapping his hand.

**(?) You didn't answer Vaughan**

"…Did… d-did we just _high five_ to killing people?" Vaughan asked. Nate's face twitched in an attempt to smile. He didn't need a mirror to know that he didn't quite make it.

**(o) Look at arrow**

The clean surface of the arrow was in stark contrast to the rotting thing it had impaled. Blood trailed out of the ear of the monster, pooling around its head. The black blood smelled rancid. Nate involuntarily shivered. That fucking thing had been on top of him!

"Nice shot." Nate murmured.

"T-thanks?" Vaughan said, unsure if he should accept praise for killing something that might have been human.

**(o) Take arrow**

Nate inhaled through his nose and walked closer to the impaled monster. He placed his foot against its head.

"N-Nate, what are you-" Vaughan stopped talking as Nate grabbed hold of the arrow with one arm and pulled. There was a squishing, cracking noise as metal brushed against flesh and broke bone. Vaughan covered his mouth and gagged. Nate released the arrow, rotated his right hand to keep it from cramping, and grabbed the arrow again with both hands. He pulled, and the arrow came out with a popping noise and a small spray of blood.

"I will not throw up, I will not throw up…" Vaughan moaned. He slowly removed his hand from his mouth. Nate wiped the gore onto his jeans.

**(o) Give arrow**

He turned towards Vaughan and passed him the arrow.

"Here," Nate said. "Ya might need this later." Vaughan hesitantly took the arrow and put it in the carrying bag with the rest.

"W-why will I need this later? I mean it's over. R-right?" Vaughan asked, looking hopelessly at Nate. Nate's face twitched again. He didn't know what he meant by 'later'. Maybe he was referring to future competitions and not the possibility of more monsters. That was the last of them, wasn't it?

**(o) Look at Vaughan**

"Your glasses are crooked." Nate told him.

"Oh." Vaughan said. As Vaughan fixed his glasses with a trembling hand, Nate noticed that his friend no longer looked depressed. He did, however, look scared out of his mind. Nate wasn't sure which one he preferred less.

A hand touched his shoulder. Nate flinched and jerked away. Charlie slowly lowered her hand back to her side.

"You okay?" She asked. "I saw one of the psychos tackle you, but I got grabbed before I could help out." Psychos. Nate thought it was an appropriate name for these violent, walking dead people.

**| I'm never eating spoiled food again |**  
| Did it hurt you? |  
| Vaughan saved me |  
| … |

"I ain't ever gonna eat spoiled food ever again, but I'm fine." Nate fought to keep his voice casual.

"…Good." Her tone suggested that she didn't believe that Nate was completely fine, but was willing to let it go for the time being. Charlie turned to her boyfriend. "大丈夫?"

"はい. 大丈夫です." Vaughan's voice shook. He wouldn't meet her eyes. Charlie frowned. She walked up to him and, grabbing hold of his face, continued to speak to him in hushed, foreign tongue. Nate watched them talk to each other, trying to guess what they were saying.

A series of footsteps grew louder behind him, making Nate turn around. The crowd inched themselves forward like lost sheep. One of them, an overweight black woman who Nate didn't know, stepped in front of the flock.

"Do you know what's goin' on?" The woman asked him. The crowd fixed their eyes on Nate, marking him as their informant. Nate looked back at Vaughan and Charlie, who kissed each other before looking back at him. He didn't know what was going on. He didn't know what to tell the group of scared people.

**| Tell them off |**  
| Say what you know |

Scowling, he turned back to the crowd.

"Thanks for helping everyone. Seriously, you were all such a_ big_ help. Just standing there, doing _fucking nothing_." Nate sarcasm was venomous. "Thank you." Nate risked his life for these assholes, and they still stood there like mentally challenged deer caught in the headlights. He wouldn't have been surprised if none of them had called the police.

**(?) You didn't answer the crowd**

Different waves passed over the crowd. Some were made of shame, causing the heads of those dragged under it to lower until their chins touched their chests. Some waves were made of anxiety. One skinny white man kept breathing into a paper bag. Other waves were made of anger, sometimes mixed with guilt, which caused their furrowed eyes to ask him 'what else were we supposed to do?'.

"Nate… they were just scared." Vaughan said.

"So?" Charlie's tone lacked the empathy that had been in her boyfriend's voice. "It ain't like they don't have numbers on their sides. They could've all worked together 'stead of being useless plies of crap."

The woman at the front of the crowd growled. "Hey-"

"Don't even start!" Charlie interrupted. "I risked my life and you didn't, so don't fuckin' complain."

"It's not their fault." Vaughan said. "I'm sure they wanted to help but, um… You don't always think the way you want to when you're scared."

"Yeah, well some people don't think at all." Charlie said, glaring at the crowd.

**| You're going to answer to your neighbors |**  
| It was scary |  
| Is anyone in the house still alive? |  
| … |

"I don't live here." Nate said. "But you people do. You guys are gonna have to answer to them when they find out you didn't help. If any of them are still alive." He wiped the sweat off his forehead. As fucked up as this day had been, at least the worst of it was over. He hoped.

The woman pushed passed Nate and ran into the house. Vaughan watched her go before running in after her.

"Vaughan!" Charlie called.

"I'll be back!" Vaughan said. Charlie took a few steps toward the house before jumping back as one of the fallen psychos weakly grabbed for her feet. A large chunk of its head was missing, blown out from when Nate shot it in the head. He could see the dark, spaghetti-like brain from the hole. It inched itself forward, moving like it's bones were made of lead, and reached for Charlie's feet again. Both she and Nate stepped back.

"How the fuck is it not dead?" Charlie gasped. Living people survived being shot in the head, Nate supposed dead ones where no different in that regard.

"Whatever." She said as if Nate had answered her. "Nate, shoot it."

"Wait!" A voice in the crowd said behind them. The both of them turned. The skinny white man with the paper bag cleared his throat. "I think we should leave that one alone for now."

"What?" Charlie didn't bother to hide the condescending tone in her voice. "Why the fuck would we do that?" The psycho reached for Charlie's feet. Nate stomped on its back, pressing his weight down so it couldn't move farther.

"Th-the police will wanna know why they did this. Interrogate them, you know?" Bagman said.

**| What do you think psycho? |**  
| The police could help |  
| It's dead |  
| … |

Nate bent over, staring at the top of the monster's dandruff filled, blood-spattered, brain showcasing head. His stomach did a back flip and dove into his pelvis.

"Whatja say, psycho? You wanna to go to the police?" Nate questioned, trying not to throw up.

"_BLWaaaAAAaaaRGH!"_ Was the monster's well thought out response. It's nails detached from its fingers, leaving small black lines of blood in the pavement as it tried to crawl from under Nate's weight.

"It's _dead."_ Charlie said.

"Then how is it moving?" Bagman asked. The crowd murmured their confusion at this to each other.

"I don't fuckin' know." Charlie huffed. "But _look at it!_ The psycho is clearly fucking dead! And with that hole it it's head, it ain't gonna last much longer."

"But we need answers!" A random voice in the crowd shouted. The psycho jerked towards the voice. Nate pressed more of his weight down. "The police will know what to do! We can restrain it until they come." The rest of the crowd murmured half-hearted approval at this. They wanted answers, but not at the risk of getting injured. They all watched Nate to see what he would do.

| Restrain it |  
**| Shoot it |**

Nate aimed the gun at its head and fired. A tidal wave of blood and brain bits spayed onto his jeans. He grimaced. Not wearing shorts on a hot day turned out to be a smart decision. An air of disapproval seeped from the crowd.

**(?) You killed the psycho**

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Citizen's Justice  
—

The random voice in the crowd spoke again, sounding indignant. "You should have-"

"When you decide to risk your lives, then you can judge the decisions we make." Charlie snapped. "But until them, don't fuckin' bitch at us you weak dumbasses!" The crowd glared at her. She sighed and turned back to Nate. "You're gonna need a new pair of pants."

**| I need new skin |**  
| You offering? |  
| Maybe I shouldn't have shot it |  
| … |

"Fuck pants, I'm gonna need new skin." Nate groaned. "Fucking fuck, _goddamn it."_ He shivered and stepped off the psycho.

Charlie took a moment to look Nate up and down before speaking. "Are you alright? Don't go givin' me that macho shit, I wanna know."

Nate gave her a lopsided grin. "Worried about me, babe?" He asked.

"_No."_ Charlie deadpanned.

| I'm A-Okay |  
**| I need a shower |**  
| My insides are pissing themselves |  
| … |

He felt like crap. His nerves were frying ever since this bullshit started and gave no indication of cooling down. Nate wanted to go to Vaughan's house and get more beer, but he didn't trust himself to come back once he went inside.

"I need to take a long shower, preferably with you also in the shower." Nate kept his voice casual, though the tone of his flirting fell a bit flat. "Then I need to sleep, preferably with you sleepin' with me." A sharp pain spread across his forehead as Charlie flicked. Nate swore and rubbed the abused area.

"Dumbass." Charlie muttered. "What did I say about that macho shit? Whatever, we'll talk about it later." She pulled her cuff of her sleeve over hand. She slapped his hand out of the way, grasped the side of his face, angled it down, and wiped the gunk off. Nate wrinkled his nose while she did this.

"What a piece of shit day this is." Charlie hissed when she was done, letting go of his face. "Why ya think the car drove into the house?"

| No clue |  
| Psychos attacked the driver |  
**| Free blowjobs |**  
| … |

"The people in the house were probably advertising free blowjobs." Nate answered with a grin. Charlie stared at him. "What? I'd crash into a house for free blowjobs."

"Of course ya would, that's the only way you'd get one." Charlie said causally.

"Oh really?" Nate laughed.

"Really." Charlie said. "Cuz your dick's like Play-Doh; fun to play with, not to eat." A rebuttal was on the tip of Nate's tongue when the overweight black woman came stumbling out of the house with an injured woman in her arms. Nate and Charlie moved towards the two of them. The crowd followed.

"Are you alright?" The woman asked, placing the injured woman onto the ground. The injured woman looked around in a panic, shaking as her eyes darted back and forth between the people around her, the psychos on the ground, her own injuries, and back to the people again.

"Ma'am?" The woman asked again. "Are you al-"

"I haven't been bitten! I _haven't!"_ The injured woman cried, her voice cracking. Nate and Charlie looked at each other, puzzled by the woman's insistence.

**(o) Look to injured woman**

A small bald spot lay in the center of scalp, surrounded by frayed hair. Tiny strains of hair littered the bald spot, making Nate wonder if that hairless patch had always been there or was recently given to her. Her casual party attire was torn in multiple areas. Blood, black and red, dotted her clothes. Her cream coloured skin was cut and bruised, but from what Nate could see there were no bite marks.

**(o) Talk to injured woman**

Nate crouched down until he was eye level to the hysterical, bleeding woman sitting on the ground. She looked and him, head hilted and twitching.

**| What your name? |**  
| What happened? |  
| Why bites? |  
| Exit |

"What's your name?" Nate asked.

"It's Anya." She said.

"How old are you?"

"Thirty-nine."

"What country do you live in?"

"America."

"Do you remember how to breathe?"

She paused. "…Yes, I do."

"Then breathe. You're safe now." Nate said. Anya's eyes went wide and almost hopeful before the muscles in her body tensed. She cupped her hands to her face as shook harder.

"I don't think _any _of us are safe yet." She cried. Nate looked back at Charlie. She shrugged. 'You tried', her eyes said.

**| What happened? |**  
| Why bites? |  
| Exit |

"What happened in there?" Nate asked Anya. The injured woman shuddered. Her lips made a tight line on her face. Nate thought she wasn't going to answer until he heard her clear her throat. Anya looked passed Nate and the crowd of people around her; staring into a dark space only she could see.

"A party." She began. "It was Tom's birthday today. We didn't have many people come but he didn't mind. Tom wanted a small party; at least that's what he had told us. There was so much food, Jared brought a bunch of poems and… it was fun. We were having _fun _and then…" She trailed off, tears streaming down her face. The other woman rubbed her back.

"Then… then the wall exploded. No one was on the first floor; Tom's brother was upstairs sick and we were all at the back waiting around the barbecue, so no one got hurt initially. But when we heard the noise we left the backyard to see what happened. That's… that's when… A woman stumbled out of the car and slammed the door behind her. She had bite marks all over her; on some places there were chunks of flesh taken out. The right side of her check was just _gone_. I could see her teeth!" Nate grimaced. A few people in the crowd gasped and groaned at this. Bagman took long and deep breathes into his paper bag again.

"She wasn't one of… _them,_ not then, but she was in shock. None of us knew what to do but we tried to help her. And then Tom noticed that there were some more people in the car, so he flung open the door to get them out. He wanted to know if they were okay. But they weren't okay and they weren't people. They were _monsters_. There was three of those things and they looked… they looked like they were dead but they couldn't have been because they were moving and…" Anya started sobbing. "They attacked everyone…"

The crowd spoke to each other in startled whispers. Nate looked back at the house. Vaughan hadn't come out yet.

**| Why bites? |**  
| Exit |

"Why are you so fixated on bites?" Nate started. "I don't-"

"Because that's how you turn!" She cried. "They bite you, you die, and then you come back as one of them!" Another outburst of startled whispers went throughout the crowd.

| Are you sure? |  
| That's crazy |  
**| Fuck |**  
| … |

"_Fuck…"_ Nate hissed. If that was true, then he had a close call when the monster jumped him. He could have turned into one of them. Nate looked back at Charlie. The tense expression she gave back to him made Nate realize that she knew it too.

"Are you sure?" The other woman asked. Nate turned back to her.

"I'm positive Sable!" Anya wept. "I saw it happen! My sister… one of those horrible things bit into her throat and tore it out. She bled to death so quickly. But then she came back as_ that!" _Anya pointed to one of the bodies on the ground. Nate and the rest of the crowd looked at the psycho. It was the one that had been shot by Vaughan's arrow. The rotting face of the zombie looked eerily similar to Anya's own.

"It wasn't just her!" Anya bawled. "It happened to Tom and Jared and the woman who crashed into the house! It happened to everyone at the party! Oh _God!"_ She placed her hands to her face and wailed harder. Her entire body heaved and shook violently. It looked as if she would fall apart on the pavement, piece by piece, and become debris as useless as the fragments of the house, the car, and the bodies of her dead friends.

**| Exit |**

Anya put her knees to her face and wrapped her arms around her legs. Her breathing was heavy and rapid.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Average Horror Story  
—

"Anya." Sable said, gripping her shoulder. "You need to calm down. You're going to pass out if you keep hyperventilating." The warning didn't penetrate. The broken woman couldn't or wouldn't stop.

| Leave Anya alone |  
**| Give her a bag |**

Nate stood up and searched for the Bagman.

"Hey you." He said, pointing at the man when he spotted him.

Bagman jerked. "Y-yes?" He asked.

"I need to borrow your bag." Nate told him. Before he could protest, Nate reached out and snatched the bag from him. He bent back down and handed it to Anya.

"Breathe in this." Nate ordered. Anya took the bag without resistance and panted into it. Her throat made whistling noises as she wheezed. Sable wordlessly thanked Nate with a nod. He stood up again and stepped away from the two women.

**(?) You tried to help Anya calm down**

"Y'know what?" Charlie asked, shifting to his side.

"Hmm?" Nate hummed.

"I haven't smoked in years." Charlie said. "But I _really_ feel like a cigarette right now." She crossed her arms and frowned at the house.

| What about weed? |  
**| I'll buy you cigarettes |**  
| You shouldn't start up again |  
| … |

"When this shit blows over, I'll buy all the cigarettes ya want." Nate told her, Vaughan's cancer momentarily forgotten.

Charlie looked back at him. Her shoulder's relaxed. "Really?" She asked.

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

"Sure." Nate said. "I'll do it all for the low _low_ price of a free blowjob." Though the blow came with little pain, the force of Charlie back handing him in the stomach made him double over.

"You fuckin-" A scream from the house shocked the words from leaving Charlie's mouth. They both snapped their heads towards the noise. The group of people gasped and stumbled away. Sable tried to move Anya farther from the house but the injured woman wouldn't move. She stared at the house, eyes bulging past their natural resting place.

Vaughan staggered out of the gaping hole of house. A psycho dug its nails into his upper arms. Vaughan's hands were on its chest as he pushed and screamed in fear.

"Vaughan!" Charlie cried. She bolted from Nate's side. Before she got half way to where Vaughan struggled with the monster, her toes snagged on a broken off piece of the car. She tripped. Her knife flew past her boyfriend and into the house.

"_Fuck!"_ Nate growled. He cast the gun out in front of him. Vaughan's twisted his body and shoved against the monster. Nate changed the position of his gun every few seconds to match the movements of the psycho. His fingers shook. What if he accidentally hit Vaughan? No, he couldn't think like that. Nate fired.

**(o)**

"_Shit."_ He hissed. Nate missed. He aimed his gun again when Charlie pulled herself up from the ground and darted over to the monster. She grabbed hold of its shoulders and pulled. The psycho jerked back. Its head whipped back and forth, simple mind distracted by two targets. Nate held his breath and fired.

**(o)**

Blood jetted out of the psycho's temple. It let go of Vaughan's arms and collapsed into Charlie's hold. Charlie threw the dead thing to the side with a grunt. Nate jogged over to the both of them.

"Are you alright?" Charlie asked Vaughan. She grabbed his face and kissed him before he could reply.

"彼… 彼… 彼は死んでいた." Vaughan whimpered. He stared into the blood spatter on his glasses like each drop led into a distant and horrifying universe. Nate touched his shoulder and he flinched.

"English, Vaughan. I need you to speak English." Nate didn't know how he managed to sound so calm. That thing grabbed Vaughan. It could've bitten him. _He could've been one of them._

"何… が?" Vaughan clamped his eyes shut. Nate could almost see him physically trying to remember how to speak English. When he did, his voice came out in wobbles. "I… I thought he was passed out. No one… n-no one was alive on the first floor. I went upstairs to check if a-anybody was alive up there a-and Tom's brother laying outside of one of the bedrooms, like he were trying to leave and… and lost consciousness."

A tremor went thought the younger man. "So I-I picked him up and carried him downstairs. By the t-time I got to the bottom he woke up. I put him down and I… I was about to ask him how he was, b-because he looked so pale and the whites of his eyes were yellow, when he… when he was when he _lunged_ at me." Vaughan shook his head. Nate squeezed his shoulder. Charlie took off his glasses and wiped them clean.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Close Call  
—

"_He's been bitten!"_ Anya's shrill voice scraped the air like a knife against glass. She flung herself off the ground and staggered in the direction opposite of Vaughan. The other people around them made startled noises as they looked between Vaughan and the trembling woman. The outburst made Nate momentarily freeze. Vaughan wasn't bitten, was he? Snapping out of it, his eyes flicked over Vaughan's body in search for the bites. He didn't see any. Nate made eye contact with Charlie as he looked away from him. The look on her face told him that she not only saw no bites on Vaughan, she was also going to choke Anya if the woman didn't calm down.

"W-what? N-no I haven't." Vaughan said. "Why does it matter? If I had g-got bitten I could just go to-"

"No! If you get bitten there's nothing _anyone _can do! You turn into one of those fucking things and eat people!" Anya hollered. She turned to the crowd. "We have to get him before anyone else get killed!" Charlie glared at Anya. She shoved the glasses into Vaughan's hands before walking into the house.

| He hasn't been bitten |  
| Is she right Vaughan? |  
**| Have YOU been bitten Anya? |**  
| … |

"Have _you_ been bitten?" Nate asked the injured woman, crossing his arms. "Ya look far worse than he does. For all we know, you're hidin' the bite somewhere."

"I wasn't! Don't redirect the problem!" Anya said.

"_You're_ the fucking problem!" Nate snapped. Vaughan let out a distressed noise; a part whimper, part groan that originated from the bottom of his throat, muffled behind closed lips. Casey's lips had been clamped together; as he had a habit of doing when things bothered him, like their father disciplining them or the harsh words their mother said in her drunken stupors; to suppress his distraught sounds as the asshole boys ganged up on him. A much younger Nate stepped in front of even younger Casey to shield him from the group, in the same way adult Nate stepped in front of adult Vaughan to block him from the crowd of people and the woman who was too injured and too far away to actually do his friend harm.

"No I'm not! _He… _I… w-what's your name?" Anya's voice quaked and strained in the effort to not fall into a deeper state of panic.

**| Nate |**  
| It doesn't matter |  
| Asshole |  
| … |

"…It's Nate." He told her.

**(?) Anya will remember that**

"Nate. Thank you for the bag." She said. She held the bag tight in her hands. "I'm really sorry. I know he's a friend of yours, but he's dangerous now! We have to do deal with this!" The ringleader of the asshole boys tried doing the same thing Anya was doing now, appealing to the kindness he had shown them previously to get him on their side. The boy had said that he remembered the time when Nate had given him some candy. That clearly made him cool, and cool nine year olds were allowed to beat on stupid six year olds because how else would those six year olds learn?

| Calm down |  
| How can we convince you? |  
**| Vaughan's not dangerous |**  
| … |

"Vaughan is as dangerous as a bowl of kittens." Nate deadpanned. "He ain't gonna do shit." The appeal to his better nature hadn't stopped Nate from breaking the boy's nose when he insisted on picking on his little brother, and if Anya didn't stop her bullshit soon, he wouldn't hesitate to break hers either.

"_He _is. He's a threat and_ he's_ going to attack all of us!" Anya cried. She faced the crowd of her frightened neighbors. "None of you tried to help us when we needed you before, and I understand why. I really do. But now you have to step up before more of us get hurt. _Please_." The group of people murmured to each other. Some shook their heads, a few nodded in agreement, others tried to step forward but were held back by family members.

All of them, even the ones who tried to step up, had the fear of authority in their eyes. That look never changed regardless of how old people got. Whether it be out of fear of the police arresting them for the murder one of their neighbours or a teacher turning the corner and finding six boys in various stages of pain, anger, and distress.

"Bitch, you better shut up. Right. Now." Charlie said, leaving the house with knife in hand. She tried to walk past Vaughan but he grabbed her arm and whispered something in Japanese. She frowned at him but didn't pull away.

"Bitch? I'm a bitch because I'm trying to keep everyone safe?" Anya whined.

"He wasn't bitten, you _bitch!"_ Charlie said. Vaughan said something to her in Japanese again and she responded in an agitated tone.

| You are a bitch |  
**| Vaughan, strip |**  
| Charlie calm down |  
| … |

"Vaughan, strip." Nate ordered. Vaughan sputtered out alarmed noises before he was able to speak.

"W-w-what!? _Why!?"_ Vaughan asked, face reddening.

"Because she ain't gonna stop bitching until she knows that you haven't been bit." Nate explained. "Don't be a pussy and just take off your damn clothes."

"No." Vaughan said.

"C'mon man!" Nate said.

"_No_." Vaughan said, crossing his arm.

"Vaughan." Charlie growled. "Stop being so-"

"I am _not _taking off my clothes!" Vaughan said.

"You see!" Anya said, pointing towards Vaughan. "He won't try to prove he's not bitten. He's hiding something!"

"N-no I-" Vaughan tried to explain.

"Please!" Anya pleaded to the crowd. "Get him!" The ones who agreed with her began to walk forward.

Charlie snared. "_Now _you decide to do something!? _Fuck you!"_

| Police can handle this |  
**| Fucking cowards |**  
| Fuck off |  
| … |

"You people are fucking cowards!" Nate yelled. "The only reason why you're doing anything now is because you don't think he'll fight back. Well screw all of you! At least Vaughan fought when it fucking mattered!"

The steps of the oncoming mass faltered, but as they looked at the bodies on the pavement, the hole in the house, and the bruised and broken girl, they came to an unspoken but unified agreement: They would take out Vaughan. They would kill him humanely, but he would die. There were no police officers to protect or arrest them. There were no teachers to guild or discipline them. They could no longer be bystanders. They had to step up and protect their town and their families.

**| Fight back |**  
| Let them take Vaughan |

**(?) You chose to fight back**

A deafening bang shocked the movements out of everyone in the area. Anya looked down at the red dot forming on her shirt. This dot started at her navel and grew until it encompassed her entire stomach and ran down her pants. This red dot was blood, pouring out of her because she had been shot, and the bullet that had entered her came from the gun Nate was holding.

He had shot the broken lady.

The paper bag slipped out of Anya's fingers. She pressed her hands to her stomach, held it there, and raised them to her face. She looked at them in great confusion, as if the blood leaking out of her body wasn't real and she couldn't understand why her hands were so dirty. Anya stood that way, swaying as she looked at her hands, until her eyes rolled up and she fell gracelessly to the ground.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Peer Pressure  
—

Sable, who had been at her side the entire time, shrieked. This caused the others to panic. They staggered back, wanting to run away but fearing the man with the gun too much to move any farther. Vaughan's horror filled mantra, a string of no's that escaped his trembling body, almost drowned in the white noise of Nate realizing what he had done.

| [Point gun at crowd] |  
| We're leaving |  
**| Help me Charlie |**  
| … |

"Charlie, help me out here." Nate said. Charlie lunged at the crowd of frightened people. Their paralysis broke. They screeched and stumbled away. Bagman wasn't fast enough. The side of his neck sliced open. Blood sprayed out of the wound. The man dropped to his knees, gurgling as he clawed at his neck. He collapsed forward, still choking. Vaughan screamed. Nate grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him to the truck. Charlie led the way, swinging her knife at people but hitting no one else.

Nate opened the passenger door and pushed Vaughan inside. Charlie followed in after him. He slammed the door and jogged to the driver's side. Before he went in, he spared a glance at the people still around the house.

Small groups surrounded both Anya and Bagman. The ones around Anya were trying to see if the bullet had gone through her or was still in her body. The ones around the man were trying to stop the blood flowing out of his neck. Everyone else was either staring and the bleeding people or watching Nate, praying that he would go away. Nate got into his truck and sped off.

They drove without incident until Nate turned to leave the residential area. What he saw made him slam on his breaks. In his distress, Vaughan forgot to put on his seat beat. He nearly flew through the windshield.

"Why did you-" Vaughan's breathless inquiry fell into shocked silence as he saw the scene in front of him. It was the same monsters from before, only now there were thousands of them. They moved around like crazed vultures; lurching, grasping, and eating people.

"O-oh my god." Vaughan whispered. "Where… w-where…?"

"The city. They must've come from the city." Charlie answered, fighting to control her voice. Nate's eyes darted around to every psycho in view.

"N-Nate." Vaughan said. "_Nate!_ W-w-we need to go back and find another way out!"

"There's no point. If they're coming from the city then all the exits are gonna be like this." Charlie said. Nate placed his head on the steering wheel.

"T-then what are we going to do!?" Vaughan cried. Without looking up, Nate turned the CD player on. A pair of guitars was strummed as Dan Sartain's low voice sang about swinging on stars, catching moonbeams, and a woman named Ruby Carol.

"I'm going to drive through them." Nate muttered. Charlie and Vaughan gawked at him.

"What?" Charlie asked. Nate raised his head from the wheel, reversed his truck a few meters and stopped.

"I said I'm drivin' through'm." Nate repeated. Vaughan stammered, trying to object to this idea. However, it dawned on him that there was no other way out of this situation. He took of his glasses with shaking hands, rested his elbows onto his knees, and covered his eyes.

"Can the truck take much damage?" Charlie asked.

| I think so |  
| I don't know |  
**| Maybe not |**  
| … |

"Maybe not." He told her. "But I'd rather try to go through them than wait to die. I'm not going to let them eat us without a fight." Charlie nodded. Vaughan placed the glasses back onto his face and raised his head, lips trembling as he looked straight into the hoard. Nate tightened his grip on the steering wheel until his fingers ached.

Dan Sartain still sang of Ruby Carol as Nate drove forward.

* * *

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Rest For The Wicked  
—

An hour past by the time they got to the cliff overlooking the city. Less than half of that was spent driving through the hoard of psychos, yet it was the longest period of time any of them had ever experienced. The bodies hitting his truck, their bones braking, and their blood splashing on the window was something Nate could still hear in his head.

He stopped the truck a few meters from the edge of the cliff. The second the truck stopped moving Vaughan took off his seatbelt and crawled over Charlie. She swore in surprise. He ignored her, opening the door and staggering out. Vaughan stumbled forward until he met a tree. He leaned his back against it and slid slowly to the ground, hugging himself when he reached the bottom.

"…We should leave him alone for now." Charlie told Nate. She got out of the truck and walked to the edge of the cliff. She stayed far left of the truck, giving Vaughan as much space as possible. Nate rested his head against the steering wheel, sighed deeply, before existing.

**(o) Look at truck.**

Fragments of clothes, blood splatter, and chucks of flesh and hair were all over his goddamn truck. Any hint that it had ever been waxed was gone. The lights on the roof looked loose but he could fix it. If there was ever a time to be glad that he was not a vehicle lover it was now. Otherwise he would have been dismayed. Nevertheless, Nate was irritated by the state of his truck.

"If I'd known my truck would end up lookin' like this, I would've never bothered tweakin' the fucking thing." Nate grumbled. "Shit…"

He looked over at Vaughan. Charlie was right, the younger man did need his space, but Nate was never a faithful follower of the laws of personal space. Besides, he was worried about him. He walked over.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

His friend's glasses were crooked. His body refused to stay still, choosing instead to make Vaughan continuously shake. He was murmuring; Nate couldn't make out the words until he got closer.

"Don't throw up." Vaughan whispered. "Don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up. あれまあ…"

"Vee…" Nate started. Vaughan glared up at him.

"Why did you shoot her!?" Vaughan yelled.

**| They were going to kill you |**  
| What would you have me do? |  
| Why didn't YOU defend yourself? |  
| … |

"Vaughan, I had to do somethin'. They were going to kill ya." Nate said.

"You don't know that!" Vaughan argued. He grabbed hold of the grass and pulled at it.

"Yes I do!" Nate said, irritated. "They thought you were infected. They were going to _murder_ you!"

"So she deserved to die? Like that man who died from the hit and run?" Vaughan's tone grew bitter. He was bringing up dirt now. "What are you going to do when another misunderstanding happens? Kill more innocent people?"

| No |  
| If I have to |  
**| I'll make you kill them |**  
| … |

"I'll make _you_ kill them next time, you ungrateful piece of shit!" Nate snarled.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that.**

Vaughan's glare intensified and gained a hurt tint to it. He wrapped his arms tighter around himself.

"Just leave me alone!" His voice cracked. Nate scowled at him.

"_Fine."_ He growled. "See if I ever do anythin' for you again, fuckin' asswipe." He stormed off.

**(o) Look at city**

Everything looked normal. The building weren't falling apart, nothing was on fire, and the sky was clear. It was almost impossible to believe that down there, the dead were walking. In normal circumstances he'd have to worry about the police coming after them, but Nate had a feeling the police had their hands full. Assuming they weren't all dead already.

Charlie had her hands crossed behind her back. She looked out at the city like she hadn't just escaped its dangerous roads.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

"Hey…" Nate muttered as he approached her.

"Toldja not to talk to him." Charlie said without looking away from the view.

"Charlie, don't start." Nate sighed.

"…You feel bad about what happened?" Charlie asked. She spared a glance at him.

**| I think I do |**  
| Not really |  
| It's bothering Vaughan |  
| … |

"I… think I do." Nate said slowly. "S'not like I didn't feel nothin' when I shot Anya but… I don't feel as bad as I think I _should._ I always heard that having blood on your hands was the worst feelin' in the world." Nate looked at his palms. They looked clean. They felt clean. He was positive that dipping his hands in the ocean wouldn't cause them to turn the water red. "I feel fine though… Is there something wrong with me?

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

"You don't count the monsters as people?" Charlie asked, ignoring his question.

| Do you? |  
**| They're monsters |**  
| A little bit |  
| … |

"Don't got no reason for feeling bad about killin' monsters." He said. "Besides, they're already dead." Charlie nodded and turned towards Nate.

"You shouldn't feel bad about that cunt." Charlie told him. "You did it to protect Vaughan. He'll understand that eventually." She paused. "…Thank you for savin' him."

| You're welcome |  
| Don't thank me |  
**| You're not mad? |**  
| … |

"You're not mad at me anymore?" Nate asked. He wondered how the phone call earlier that day felt so far away. Charlie jabbed her fist into his side. His ribs burned with the sudden impact.

"Ah! Fuck!" Nate cried. "You _bitch!_ Ow!" he hunched over, cradling his injured side.

"No." Charlie answered him like the outburst hadn't happened. Nate inched his back straight, the pain already beginning to fade. "I'd think you you'd know better by now than to steal my shit."

**| Of course |**  
| No I don't |  
| Your shit? |  
| … |

Nate gave her a shit-eating grin. "Yessum." He chimed. Charlie gave him another smack, softer this time, and turned back to the view.

"My car is still down there. Goddamn it." Charlie grunted. She kicked a stone down the cliff. They both watched as it bounced down and far away. "…We need to make a plan about what we're gonna do and where we're gonna go." Nate nodded, but at that moment he felt so drained. Everything had gone to shit so fast. He just needed more time to breathe.

"Yeah, that sounds great an' all, but could we do that later?" Nate said. "I just need to fuckin'… _fuck."_ Charlie looked him up and down.

"…Alright." She said. "This place is safe enough. We ain't gotta rush." Nate sat down on the edge of the cliff. Charlie sat with him. The wind blew the stray strains of hair into her eyes. Charlie brushed her face, moving the hair off to the side. Nate watched her do this. She was surprisingly pretty, but he supposed chicks that could pass for dudes could still be pretty.

"Nate, listen." Charlie said. "We have to be prepared in the event that this outbreak, or whatever the fuck it is, ends up lasting long. And we have to acknowledge that everyone is going to die. Not cuz this apocalyptic bullshit is gonna kill everyone off, but because that just what happens to people. They die. Ain't nothin' gonna change that. But remember this; though strong people may die, weak people drop like flies. We ain't weak. Don't mean we're in the clear, but it does bump our chances up for kickin' this shit in the ass."

| When did you get so deep? |  
| We have to find a group |  
**| We need to stick together |**  
| … |

"If we stick together, we'll be fine." Nate said.

"Agreed." Charlie said. "As long as we take care of each other we-"

"Nate! Charlie!" Vaughan yelled. They turned towards him. He was standing up and backing away from the trees. "We got to go! I see more of those things coming!" They both almost slipped off the cliff jumping to their feet.

Nate barked. "Fuck!"

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
No Rest For The Wicked  
—


	2. Nursing The Danger

_This game series adapts to the choices you make._

_The story is tailored by how you play._

TELLTALE GAMES

presents

in association with

SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT

**THIRTY-FIVE DAYS LATER**

The aesthetics of houses; from the impressive designs of mansions, quaintness of cottages, to the unoriginality of copycat complexes; was something that Nate acknowledged, if not fully appreciated. He did not, however, previously notice how much energy had radiated off those places or how much he could _feel_ this energy, albeit subconsciously. Whether people were cooking, cleaning, fucking, or bathing; whether they loved life or hated it; the lives of humans flowed off their bodies and circulated in their homes. Their homes, in turn, discharged that energy and made the world warm.

All the people were gone now. Abandoned their homes, willingly or not, to far off places. No matter how different all the houses looked from each other, they felt as dead as the psychos that ran the world. The energy from the emptied houses faded into space. Possibly reaching to another planet where things hadn't gone to hell, or clumped together to create stars. This neighbourhood so similar to the one they escaped from five weeks ago was no exception to the energy purge. Nate was surprised by how much this bothered him.

"These houses don't look like they've been raided yet." His voice held an indifference that didn't match how he felt. "We might've hit the jackpot."

**(o) Look at house door**

A symbol, the number eight with a vertical line down the middle and a small cross to the upper right, was spray painted on the front door of three houses. The cross signified that one of them was in the house, while the slashed eight told them that the house was emptied of anything useful. Charlie had come up with the signs.

"Three already? How is she goin' through the houses so quickly?" Nate wondered. "The truck ain't that full. Maybe there's no jackpot after all…" Nate rotated his arm. The rest of his body groaned in protest. Every part of him was sore. It was a _satisfying_ kind of sore, but it made simple movements a chore.

"Just one more, then Vee can take over for me." Nate told himself. He looked at the fourth house to his right and made for it. He walked up the steps of the house to the porch and stood in front of the door.

**(o) Open door**

Many people assumed things would blow over and they would be able to return home again. They assumed they wouldn't die before being able to go back, because only strangers and distant relatives died. So windows were boarded and doors were locked to keep their belongings safe until they returned. However, there were always a few homes that didn't have those precautions imposed on them. Nate thought it might've been the outcome of people who left their homes without realizing that they weren't coming back for a while, but it didn't matter to him. What was important was making sure the doors weren't already open before breaking through and making unnecessary noise.

Nate grabbed the knob and turned. It was locked.

"Worth a shot." He said.

**(o) Kick door**

Nate attempted to shake the ache out of his arms and legs. Unfortunately, the ache was unaffected by the attempt, holding onto his muscles like a clingy girl. Sighing, Nate positioned himself sideways from the door, his dominant leg closest to it. He raised his leg and, with the sole of his foot, lightly tapped the area just below the knob to get a feel for where he was going to kick. He lowered his foot, took a moment to prepare himself, raised his leg again and-

"Hey!" A voice called behind him. Nate kicked the doorknob. A circle of pain flared in the bottom of his foot. Nate yelped. Leg in the air, he tried to regain his balance by lowering his foot, but his upper body succumbed to gravity and was pulled onto the wooden porch. Raw nerves burned upon impact with the hard surface, but Nate wasted no time wallowing in it. He hopped back up, quickly turned towards the direction of the voice, and readied his gun.

It was Charlie. She stood in front of the railing of the porch, looking up at him with a bored expression despite the gun pointed at her.

"Don't shoot." Charlie deadpanned, waving her fingers in the air with one hand and holding the butcher's knife with the other.

| What are you doing? |  
**| Don't sneak up on me |**  
| My foot hurts |  
| … |

"_Bitch!_ Don't sneak up on me!" Nate growled. "I could've fuckin' _shot you!"_ He shoved the gun into the back of his pants.

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Why ya so jumpy today?" Charlie asked.

"I ain't jumpy. I wasn't expectin' you." Nate insisted. "Thought we were supposed to go through the houses individually. Why ain't you at a house right now?"

"I wanted to talk to you. _Alone."_ Charlie said.

| Is that so? |  
**| About what? |**  
| Now? |  
| … |

"Whatja wanna talk about babe?" Nate's tone was brazenly suggestive. He leaned over the railing and leered at her. Charlie stood up on her toes and flicked him on the forehead. Nate swore and pulled back.

"Not _now _you asshole!" Charlie hissed. "You're such a horndog! Can't ya keep it in your pants for more than four hours!?"

"Alright, alright, I'm _sorry."_ Nate said, rubbing his forehead and not really sorry. "Whatja wanna talk about?"

"Follow me." Charlie ignored his question. She stretched her back, groaning in discomfort as she did so, before she walked to the side of the house and disappeared from view. Nate rotated his right ankle. Notwithstanding the dull flares of pain, it was still useable. He walked down the stairs after her.

The ground at the side of the house was paved over, but signs of neglect were evident by the long weeds that grew through the cracks. Nate thought, as he stepped on the escaping grass, of how his lawn was doing. That jungle needed cutting the last time he left his house.

_The last time he left the house. _Vaughan might've admired it for it's 'endearing' quality, but Nate's home was an ugly piece of shit. It was better than his childhood home with it's barbed wire borders, but anything was better than that. A turd was still a turd even if it was better than other turds. Despite this, Nate found himself homesick. Not terribly so, he liked being on the road, but there was a mild ill feeling that sometimes struck him when he thought of his unsightly house. Was there someone raiding it right now, he wondered.

"So 'bout you and your _boyfriend."_ Charlie began suddenly. "Ya wanted me to come to Vaughan's house, but you never told me why." Nate sighed through his nose. She wanted to know. _Crap._ They stopped in front of the gate leading into the backyard.

"Surprised it took ya so long to wonder about that." Nate said. He had hoped she wouldn't wonder about it at all.

"Well, I was too busy tryin' to make sure we all stayed alive." Charlie told him. "Didn't have much time to think about that. But now that I've gotten used to the apocalyptic grind…" She tested the gate to see if it was opened. It wasn't. She turned towards Nate and crossed her arms. "What did you two want to tell me?"

| I'll tell you later |  
| Vaughan will tell you |  
| You have pretty eyes |  
**| … |**

Nate grinned at her. Charlie flicked him in the forehead. He swore.

"Nate, answer me." Charlie demanded.

| I'll tell you later |  
| Vaughan will tell you |  
**| You have pretty eyes |**  
| … |

"Did I ever tell you that you have pretty eyes?" Nate asked.

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

Charlie scowled at him. "My eyes are fucking brown."

"Don't mean they ain't pretty."

"Nate-"

"Because they are."

"-I will kick your ass."

"Very pretty."

"Fine!" Charlie threw her hands into the air. She turned, grabbed hold of the head of the gate, and pulled herself up. She twisted her body and put the balls of her feet on the top. Nate was briefly alarmed by how much she looked like a vulture, perched up there and glaring down at him.

"I'll let it go for now." Her words were as hard as the look on her face. "But soon either you or Vaughan _will_ tell me what's goin' on." With that, she jumped off to the other side. Nate groaned and rubbed his forehead. Thinking about the inevitable shitstorm that would come when Charlie found out what they'd been hiding from her made his already tired bones even more exhausted with the weight of future grievances. There was no point worrying about it now. That gale would be dealt with later.

Nate pulled himself over the gate.

* * *

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Stalling  
—

Aside from the long blades of grass brushing against their clothes, Nate and Charlie made little noise stalking through the backyard. However, the scrubbing sounded like loud signals to Nate, snitching to whatever psychos were close by. _'Come here, come here!' _Their breezy voices said. _'There's food over here! We're rubbing their pants! Fucking eat them!'_ The porch stairs made squeaking noises as they crept up it. _'Squeak, eat, squeak, eat!' _The stairs tattled.

It wasn't like Nate never broke into a house before, all three of them had ever since the apocalypse started and he had done it a few before then, but it was nerve racking purposefully going into a place where what may greet you when you entered was a flesh eating monster. He knew he would get used to it, but that in of itself was horrific. Getting used to the _apocalypse?_ Goddamn. _'Not like you don't enjoy this a little.'_ A small voice whispered in his mind. Nate fiercely ignored it.

Charlie went up to the door and, weapon ready, tried to open it. The handle turned and the door opened, revealing a screen door behind it. She tried the screen door but it was locked.

"They locked the front door and not the back?" Nate asked. "That's stupid. A screen door isn't goin' to protect shit." Charlie cut through the mesh, proving his point.

"Don't matter." Charlie said. She shook her arm before putting it through the hole she made and opening the lock. "What _is_ important is that there's most likely no psychos in here." Most likely. They had gone into homes where people had left their infected family members barred in rooms. These rooms were usually unmarked, causing an annoying amount of surprise encounters with the dead. In most cases, the trapped psychos were adults. The rest were children. Vaughan never slept well when they found kids. Nate was also disturbed at the slight of them. He might've disliked kids, but seeing children reduced to undead monsters was not a cause for joy. Charlie seemed unfazed by it all.

She opened the door and they both went inside. Nate took two steps into the house and paused. Something about the house seemed off. Nate couldn't think of what it was. Everything looked normal; the floor was swept, objects were clear of dust, and the place smelt as if it had been aired out; but something was wrong. Charlie also stopped, frowning as she looked around the entranceway. The near-explainable wrongness of the house bothered and intrigued Nate. His feet moved him into the kitchen. Charlie followed close behind.

"The kitchen smells like pie." She said. Her hand flexed its hold on the knife.

| Apple pie |  
| Why? |  
**| I'm hungry |**  
| … |

"Great. Now I'm hungry." Nate said. Charlie stared at him before looking at the clean tiled floor like it would answer their unspoken question.

"Nate…" She said slowly, glancing back up at him. "Look around the kitchen for any supplies. I'll search the house for… things." She walked away before Nate could reply.

**(o) Open cupboard**

He opened the cupboard expecting it to be empty, but found a dozen cans.

"Holy shit!" Nate laughed. "Fuckin' jackpot!"

**(o) Take cans**

"Holy _shit."_ Nate chimed again, a grin spreading freely across his face. He slipped the empty bag from off his shoulders and unzipped it. A stale smell wafted out. Ignoring it, he placed the cans inside the bag, eyes skimming through the labeled contents as he did so.

"This is awesome!" Nate said to the canned corn. "And some of these have only been expired for a week! Some ain't expired at all!" He paused, and the chicken noodle soup waited for him to continue. "Wait, did I just fucking say that? Damn, I've been living like this too long." He placed the last can in his bag. Zipping it up and swinging it back onto his shoulders; he let out a pleased hum as the bag comforted his stomach with its weight. The three of them weren't going to go hungry for at least a few days.

**(o) Look at ceramic dolls**

On the wiped down surface of the windowsill, three chubby, androgynous porcelain dolls smiled at him. Their white surfaces were tinted yellow with age. Their bodies looked like they once had normal human proportions when an outside source morphed them into blobs, though it was more likely that they were designed to look like that.

The head of the one in the middle was worn down, it's facial features flattened and morphed as if sandblasted by the elements. In front of its feet, there was a small pile of broken porcelain, enough to make a very tiny version of the figurines. To the left of that one, a small crack led from the center of its head to the corner of its left eye. To the right of the middle one, the doll appeared to have been broken at one point and then glued together. Though pasting it back together made it whole again, the doll had an irreversibly deformed look to it.

"…You were either bought by a girly chick or a gay dude." He told the dolls. Their smiles stayed fixed on their faces. His eyes dropped from the dolls to the drawer beside the sink.

**(o) Open at drawer**

Nate opened the drawer and looked inside. A cleaver lay over a cutlery rack.

**(o) Look at cleaver**

The cleaver was placed rather haphazardly. The blade was stained with dark patches of blood. It was hard for Nate to tell if the dried blood had come from a human body or not.

**(o) Take cleaver**

"I can use this." He said. There was no such thing as too many weapons during the apocalypse. Nate took the cleaver and placed the handle in his pants. Fingering through the cutlery and seeing no other valuable items, he closed the drawer and turned around. He stood directly in front of a fridge.

**(o) Open fridge**

It was empty. Light patches of grime covered the interior. Nate noticed that the inside of the fridge was the only place with a dirty surface that he'd seen so far. He shut the door and looked at the counter nearby.

**(o) Look at pie**

It was sitting next to the fridge, no larger than his head. The golden brown crust was lumpy from the fruit stuffed underneath it. A sweet and tangy smell lifted off it and warmed his nostrils. Nate felt himself drool.

"Well, shit." Nate said, wiping the corners of his mouth with the tip of his fingers. "Apple pie."

**(o) Eat pie**

There was a small triangle spatula sitting in a hole in the pie. Nate picked the spatula up, scooped out a lopsided and crumbling piece of pie, and shoved it in his mouth. After five weeks of eating canned food, unseasoned meat, and wild plants, this piece of pie was the best _anything_ he'd ever eaten in a long time. Everything he would ever eat after this was going to taste unbelievably bland but he didn't care. If he could just die with this pie in his mouth, it would be a good death. Nate made an unintelligible happy sound before swallowing the mushy piece of heaven.

A trail of saliva followed the spatula when he pulled it out of his mouth. He needed more. He was going to devour the entire pie himself. Fuck his friends and fuck future stomach pains. As he lowered the spatula down, the connections his mind was trying to make finally clicked. Nate's eyes widened. The spatula stopped inches from the surface of the pie.

"This pie's warm." Nate murmured. "It was recently cooked. Like how everything had been recently cleaned." The spatula slipped from his hand. "There are people livin' in this house! _Fuck,_ why didn't I notice that befo-"

"_Hey!"_ A voice behind him cried. A blunt object struck his head before Nate could turn around. He fell to the floor and lost consciousness for a few seconds. When he came to, he was on his back in a doubling and blurred world. Some evil thing banged dumbbells in the left side of his skull and threw stars into his eyes. He managed to focus in time to see a foot accelerating toward his face.

**(o)**

Nate caught the foot and pushed upwards.

**««Q»»**

The owner of the foot put their weight down and Nate had to strain to keep it from stomping his head in.

**[E]**

Nate shoved hard against the foot, causing the person to lose balance and fall backward. Nate leapt to his feet and took the cleaver out of his pants. The assailant; a man, ten years older than Nate, average build; pulled himself off the ground and charged at him with a wooden baseball bat.

**(o)**

Nate backed up into the living room, raised the cleaver and brought it down on the baseball bat. It cut in half with a loud crunch. The man dropped it. He pitched a fist at Nate.

Nate jerked to the left and he missed.

**(o)**

Nate swung the cleaver horizontally. It made a shallow slice through the assailant's stomach. The man screamed and jumped back.

**(o)**

Nate raised the cleaver over his head and swung it down. It got lodged in the man's shoulder. The man wailed, clutching his shoulder and stumbling away.

**(o)**

Nate seized the handle and yanked it forward.

**(o)**

As the assailant was forced into a hunching position, Nate kicked him in the chest. The cleaver came out and the man fell. Recovering at a speed Nate would've found impressive if he wasn't so angry, the man crawled backwards; one arm madly pulling behind him, the other limply sagging at his side, his feet kicking out and making squeaking noises on the tiled kitchen floor as he tried to escape the intruder. Nate stalked forward, eyes wide and furious. The man's back hit something and he looked up. Charlie stared down at him, brow arched at the man pressed against her legs. He cringed away from her and pushed himself against the wall.

"So this is what all the noise was about." Charlie said to Nate. He gave her a dismissive grunt. Her gaze fell back to the man. "You're gettin' blood all over your floor, ya dick."

"Get out of my house." The man quivered. "Please."

| You need better locks |  
| Why? |  
**| Please? |**  
| … |

"_Please?_ You're gonna be all polite and shit after ya tried to bash my fucking head in?" Nate growled. The man recoiled.

"You should kill him." Charlie said. "He deserves it." She held the butcher's knife under her arm and began picking out the dirt from her fingernails.

"No! Please! Take whatever you want! Just _leave!"_ The man begged. Nate stepped in front of the pathetic lump on the ground. The man put his arms in front of his hands and shook.

**(o)**

Nate raised his arm and brought the cleaver down. There was a deep thud. The man screamed. Charlie made a puzzled noise, pausing mid way through getting some dark gunk from under her thumb.

"…Did you miss?" She asked. The cleaver was lodged into the wall a few inches above the man's head. Nate yanked it out of the wall with a grunt. Tiny bits of drywall fell onto the red hair whorl of the man's head.

"No." Nate said. "I ain't gonna kill him." The tremble eased out of the man's body. Green eyes gaped up at Nate as he lowered his arms.

"…How much are you going to take?" The man asked.

| Most of it |  
| Some of it |  
**| None of it |**  
| … |

"We're not taking nothin'." Nate said. The man and Charlie gave him identical looks of surprise.

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

"What?" Charlie blurted out. "Why not?"

"Charles-" Nate began, slipping the bag off his shoulders.

"We need all the food we can get!" Her brows furrowed at the sound of the heavy bag hitting the floor.

"-We have no reason to steal from this asshole. We have an entire neighbourhood of unoccupied houses to go through." He paused and looked at the man. "They _are_ unoccupied, right?"

"…I believe so." The man answered.

"See?" Nate said. "Let's leave him alone."

"We've stolen from people _before."_ Charlie commented.

"It's not stealing if no one is around or alive to claim the stuff we take." Nate said. "The owners of the houses we go through ain't usin' their shit. _He_ is."

"…He tried to kill you." She dragged out the words like hearing each one slowed would cause Nate to understand the severity of that attempt and cause him to change his mind.

"I know. And that was _fucking rude."_ Nate's tone made the man flinch. "But it ain't like he did it for no reason, so whatever. Let's go."

The disbelief in Charlie's eyes had a judgmental weight to it. She stared at him for a moment before sighing.

"Fine." She groaned. "We'll g-"

"_Guatier!"_ A shrieking voice from the living room made all three turn. It was a woman around the same age as the man. A hammer was held tight in her trembling hand.

"Hanna don't-" Guatier warned. Hanna screamed and darted towards Nate. He meant to grab onto her shoulders and stop her, but the force of her sprint and the blood on the floor caused Nate to fall down when she collided into his chest. His head bounced off the ground when he hit the floor, agitating the already injured area. Hanna pushed herself up until she was straddling him. She held the handle of the hammer with both hands, raised her arms, and brought the weapon down.

**(o)**

Nate caught her arms before the metal of the hammer smashed his forehead.

**««Q»»**

Nate grabbed her arms and pushed them away from him. Hanna wasn't very strong, but trying to lift her twisting and jerking arms was difficult. Using his back muscles to sit up, Nate began slowly easing the hysterical woman off him and-

A knife protruded out of her chest. It stopped inches from Nate's stomach. He flinched as blood gushed on him. Hanna made a pained wheezing sound, dropping the hammer on the floor. Nate watched her touch the blade with shaking hands. Charlie moved the butcher's knife to the side, bringing the woman with it, and kicked her off the blade. She fell to Nate's left. Nate's eyes bulged as he stared at the woman. The woman looked back at him, eyes equally wide, until they dulled and looked at nothing at all.

"Hanna!" Guatier bellowed. He staggered to his feet and fixed his stare on Charlie, eyes burning with hate, who stared back with little expression on her face. _"You bitch!" _He lunged at her with all his strength. Charlie stabbed him in the stomach before he got close. She pulled it out as quickly as she impaled him. Guatier's body thudded against the tiles. Charlie took a kitchen rag from the drawer and wiped the blood off her knife. Nate looked between the two bodies, stunned.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Pissing Off Strangers  
—

"They ain't gonna need their supplies no more." Charlie said offhandedly, dropping the bloody rag on the floor and moving towards the pie. She cut herself a slice, inspected it, and took a bite. The kitchen didn't smell like slow cooked apples anymore. It smelt like iron and unwashed bodies.

"Wh- what…" Nate's voice was raspy. "What the fu-"

"Nate. I did the same thing you did for Vaughan." Charlie said calmly. She tilted her head in his direction. "Let's focus on getting supplies." She walked out of the kitchen and left him there with the bodies.

* * *

Blood seeped through his jeans, making his pants crinkle and stick to the tiles. Nate made no move to raise himself off the soiled floor, focusing instead on how he felt. Ever since the world had gone to hell, Nate was, for a reason he didn't understand, impulsively compelled to reflect on his emotions. Rarely did he ever do this before the outbreak. He now understood why. His brain worked in ways he didn't like.

Seeing abandoned buildings, fighting and running from monsters weighed his mind down, as was the natural response anyone would have to living their life like that. However, breaking down doors, bashing monsters' heads in, running for his life, driving without having any fix purpose; it felt exhilarating. It felt fun. _That _wasn't normal. He wasn't supposed to like any of this. And though a part of him was greatly disturbed by everything and wanted to go home, the other part, one that felt far too large, loved it and never wanted it to end.

Then there were the deaths of other people.

Nate looked to his left at Hanna, then looked in front of him at Guatier. He barely felt anything. A bit of sadness lingered in the back of his mind, it was a shame they both died when they didn't have to, but he felt no more angst beyond that scrap of pity. Other than his initial shock, he wasn't angry with Charlie for killing them, he felt no guilt or responsibility for their deaths, and the only nausea he felt came from breathing in the smell of their blood for so long. That was all. Just like when he had killed Anya.

Nate grabbed his bag and stood up. A sucking noise came from his pants as they tried to glue themselves to the floor before giving up and latching onto his legs. He looked at his hands after placing the bag on his back. Blood dirtied the palms. He pawed them on his shirt until they were clean. Finishing that, he stared down at the bodies on the floor.

"I'm a fucking psychopath." He told the bodies. If only doctors were able to tell if there were something mentally wrong with the babies they were trying to birth. If they did, then the doctor in charge of his delivery could've looked into his eyes and said, "This baby is no good" and thrown him in the garbage. Or better yet, shove him back where he came from. His mother's body was acidic enough from all the drinking she did; he'd probably dissolve after a while. Either option would've been a better alternative to dealing with being mentally disturbed.

"I'm a fucking _psychopath." _His voice came out shaky and tenser than the first time he labeled himself. He was unafraid of many things, but any fear he'd ever felt in his life was nothing compared to how scared of himself Nate was at that moment.

* * *

As he walked into the living room he noticed Charlie staring up the stairs like the second floor owed her money. Nate walked to her side.

**| What is it? |**  
| We should go |  
| How much stuff do you have? |  
| … |

"Charlie wha-" He was shushed.

"Do ya hear that?" She whispered. Nate listened. A drawn out muffle was coming from upstairs.

"Is that screaming?" He asked.

"I think so." Charlie said. "What do you think it is?"

| A person |  
**| A animal |**  
| A psycho |  
| … |

"Might be a dog." Nate answered. "Maybe a parrot." Charlie gave him an incredulous look.

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

"A dog?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she repeated his answer. "You think it might be a _dog?"_

"Or a parrot." Nate said again. Charlie closed her eyes, shook her head, and frowned back up the stairs.

"Whatever, it needs to be dealt with." Charlie said. "You go look and I'll be here if ya need any help."

**| Okay |**  
| Why me? |  
| You come too |  
| … |

"Okay, sure." Nate said. Charlie nodded and walked away from the stairs. He grabbed onto the railing and crept up, making as little noise as possible to take whatever it was by surprise if it happened not to be an animal. These stairs, unlike the ones outside, were well maintained and didn't creak while he walked. He got to the top and turned towards the direction of the sound. It was coming from a room to his right. As he snuck towards it, he was positive that it was not a psycho, unless psychos were learning how to scream. He stood in front of the door.

**(o) Look at picture**

To the right of the door, a medium sized portrait of a family hung on the wall at eye level. The family consisted of a woman, a man, and a little girl. The woman and the man were not the bodies that now lay in the kitchen, but the woman and the little girl shared similar physical features, such as eye and hair colour, to Guatier.

The woman stood close to the man while he held their daughter. They all looked at the camera, showcasing their warm, unforced smiles, while standing in front of their small, clean, barbwire free home. The picture gave off the appearance that these people had a functional, unflawed family life.

"Bullshit." He murmured to himself, no longer giving the picture and its lies any more of his time. "No one's family is that perfect."

**(o) Listen at door**

Nate pressed his ear against the door. A repeated chorus of gasping, hiccupping, and wailing came from whatever was inside the room.

"Sounds more like a person than an animal." Nate muttered to himself. "Even if it's not, whatever's in there sounds like it's in pain."

**(o) Open door**

Nate took the gun out and released the safety. He grasped the knob tight in his hand. Holding his breath, he flung the door open.

Vertical stripes of pink and blue lined the walls. Wooden cut outs of dancing balloon animals and circus people were nailed on it. The room was small, containing only a garbage bin, a bookshelf, a drawer, a rocking chair, and a crib where the crying was coming from. Nate's jaw dropped. Lowering the gun, his feet moved closer to the crib without his permission. Reaching it, he placed his weapon on top of the drawer beside the crib, grabbed hold of the railing, and looked over.

He thought the baby might have been five or six months old. It had the same red hair as the father but looked like the mother. Green eyes stared into Nate's and it stopped crying for a moment. It's expression became quizzical, it never seen this stranger before, but the confusion and curiosity gave way to its distress and the baby resumed bawling. Chubby arms and tiny fingers reached for Nate, begging to be picked up.

"So this is where the animal is?" Charlie said behind him. Nate turned his head towards the sound of her voice but didn't take his eyes off the baby. She walked to his side and stared into the crib. The baby stopped crying, stared at the new stranger, and started again. Nate looked at Charlie in time to see her raise the knife over her head.

**(o)**

He caught her arm before she plunged the knife into the baby's skull.

"What the fuck are you _doing!?"_ Nate growled. The baby cried harder at his tone. He yanked her away from the crib, other hand digging into her shoulder and forcing her to face him.

"We ain't goin' to take care of this baby." Charlie explained, calm but frowning. "And if we leave it here it'll starve. I'm being _nice._ If I kill the baby now it won't starve to death later."

"_Killing the baby is not an option."_ Nate's voice was dangerously low. His grip on her arm tightened, making Charlie wince.

"Fine." Charlie hissed. "Let the puppy starve." Nate let go of her arm. She backed away from him. A hand rubbed the arm she now held close to her chest. "At least shut it up. I don't want it attracting a horde." With that, she stormed out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her.

Nate turned back to the baby. It looked at him and raised its arms.

**(o) Pick up baby**

Placing his hands under its armpits like the baby was made of glass, Nate lifted the little thing into the air. He kept the baby at eye level; arms stretched straight and locked in position. The baby stretched its own arms towards him, wanting to be closer. Reluctantly, he pulled the baby closer to him until its small body was trembling against his. It was then that he remembered his shirt was covered in its mother's blood. Looking down, Nate could see that patches of blood were now on the baby's clothes. A pang of guilt made him grimace.

| Shh, Shh |  
| It's okay, it's okay |  
| Shut up, Shut up |  
**| … |**

He rocked the baby up and down in silence, pacing around the room as the baby cried.

**(o) Look at baby bottle**

The transparent, half full bottle was on top of the drawer next to his gun.

"Why would they leave a bottle of milk layin' around?" He asked the crying baby. "Unless… Unless they were feedin' you when we came." He finished. He briefly closed his eyes against another guilt pang.

**(o) Pick up bottle**

The baby saw the bottle and let out a high-pitched squawk. Nate's ears threatened to bleed in protest.

"Oh my _God,_ shut up you lil asshat!" Nate groaned. "I'm gonna feed ya, don't shit your diaper full." He walked to the rocking chair and sat down. He ignored the hard-edged contents of his bag digging into his back. He positioned the baby in the crook of his left arm and put the nipple of the bottle in its open mouth. The baby kept crying before realizing that it had what it wanted. The whimpers slowed to a stop. Milk trailed down the side of its mouth as it drank.

| I'm sorry |  
**| Boy or girl? |**  
| You're gross |  
| … |

"Are you a boy or a girl?" Nate asked the baby. "Can't tell by looking at you. All babies look the same to me." The baby stared up at him but didn't answer. "…I'm gonna assume you're a girl. Only girls cry like that." The bottle was one third finished.

| I'll make it up to you |  
| You're drinking fast |  
**| Rude |**  
| … |

"You're a rude little shit." Nate joked. "Y'know you're supposed to say 'thank you' when people feed ya, right?" The baby closed her eyes. "Fucking _rude."_

**(?) The baby thinks you're a food dispenser**

She finished the rest of her bottle. Nate inched the bottle from the baby's mouth. Her eyes fluttered in response, but she went to sleep.

**(o) Put baby in crib**

He got off the rocker and walked to the crib. The small bed made him frown. He didn't want to let her go, but what were the alternatives? Charlie was right; they couldn't take care of a baby now. Hell, they couldn't take care of a baby before the apocalypse began. He sighed, shoulders drooping as he lowered the baby down. She yawned as her body met the bed. Nate went to the drawer, took his gun, and walked towards the door.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Hush, Little Baby  
—

His feet wouldn't move past the borders of the doorframe. He frowned at his shoes. Charlie had said that the baby would die of starvation if they left her alone, but they couldn't take care of a baby. They'd be horrible parents. But if he did nothing the baby would die. But…

"_Fuck it."_ Nate said.

* * *

The first look of utter surprise Charlie gave him once he entered the living room twisted her face in a way Nate found amusing. The look that followed, one that made the corners of her mouth pull down and gave her more forehead wrinkles than she usually had, left the realm of humour. Nate wasn't too bothered by her expression though. His attention was more focused on carrying the bag on his back, the baby bag in his left arm, and the baby in his right.

"_Nate."_ Charlie's voice strained against her urge to yell. "Why are you bringing the puppy?"

**| We're not killing her |**  
| It's not forever |  
| Help me |  
| … |

"If we leave her here she'll die, and you ain't allowed to kill her," Nate was taken aback by the stern tone in his voice, since he was rarely ever stern. "So there's no other choice except to bring her along." Charlie strode closer to Nate until they were inches part. She angled her face up to scowl at him.

"If you bring this baby, it'll put our lives in danger." She spoke slowly, stressing every word that came from the bottom of her throat. "We need to be as safe as we possibly can. So ya need to put it back where it came from, close the door, and come downstairs without any _baggage."_ Charlie spared the baby a disdainful glance. The baby slept unaware with her head on Nate's shoulder.

| No |  
| I would |  
**| I will fight you |**  
| … |

The weight he carried did nothing to make his sore body feel any better or make him more tolerant of Charlie's baby killing bullshit. He straightened up, using their proximity and his more than half a head height advantage to tower over her.

"You're not gonna let this baby die." Nate's voice was darker and more forceful than the tone Charlie had used in her demand. "If you wanna fight, then I swear to God I'll fuckin' fight you. Don't think I won't _you fucking cunt."_

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

Her knuckles dug into his cheek as she backhanded him across the face. His head snapped to the side and he almost lost balance. The baby moaned in her sleep as he got his control of his footing. Nate looked back at Charlie as she turned away from him. She snatched the bag of supplies from off the floor and began walking away.

| You bitch |  
| Don't be mad |  
**| We're still cool right? |**  
| … |

"We're still cool right?" His sarcasm almost sounded genuine. Charlie flipped him off and kept walking. He heard a door open and then close moments after she disappeared from view.

"Fuckin' _ow."_ Nate groaned. He tried shaking the pain out of his head. It didn't work. The next car ride was going to be awkward and stressful, he knew that already, but that would be dealt with later. His aching back and arms made the trip to the front door feel miles long. His need for proper rest kept him taking a temporary one in the house. Just as he was about to reach the door, a hand seized the baby bag.

Nate balked. "Wha- _oh shit!"_ Hanna's dead eyes glared at him. Nate wrenched the bag from her grasp. She-_ it_ now- let out an angry moan and reached for him. Nate reeled away from her. He tried to grab for his gun but the bag and baby obstructed his ability to reach for it. Just as he was about to drop the baby bag, he tripped over his own feet. Nate fell backward into a chair. The cans in the backpack jabbed at his spine. The baby made a startled whine but kept sleeping. The psycho trudged closer. Nate fumbled for his gun.

The sound of bone denting in caught his attention. Nate snapped his head back to the psycho. It was on the ground. It tried to push itself off the floor. Guatier mashed its head with the broken and bloody baseball bat before it rose to its knees. The psycho's growling laboured. It shook as it tried to get up once more. Guatier swung the bat down again and again until pieces of brain matter clung to the splinters of the weapon.

"Hanna… oh fuck, _Hanna."_ Guatier grieved. The bat slipped from his hand.

| How are you still alive? |  
**| She was bitten? |**  
| Did she bite you? |  
| … |

"She was bitten? You had a _baby_ and you didn't deal with that shit?" Nate reproached the man. Guatier turned toward him.

"She… she wasn't…" Guatier collapsed before he could finish. His head bounced off the floor. Nate stared at him for a moment before rising off the chair. This house was bullshit and he had enough. If he could somehow move at the speed of light, it still would've been too slow a pace to leave. As he was about to pass the man on the ground, a weak hand grabbed his ankle. Nate jerked his foot away.

Gautier sluggishly flipped himself onto his back. His shirt was soaked red. His skin was pale. Near lifeless eyes struggled to focus on Nate's face.

"M-my baby…" The man choked. A shaking arm was raised toward his child.

| Show him the baby |  
**| Don't show him the baby |**

Nate backed out of the man's reach. If his wife had been bitten, then maybe the man was bitten too. Babies were too sensitive, too easily broken, and Nate didn't want to risk getting her infected.

**(?) You didn't show Gautier the baby**

"I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't know there were people living here. I really didn't." He was alarmed by how little of the apology was meant for the man and woman. The guilt he felt in the nursery was for the baby's sake and not for the pain he caused the parents. Nate only realized this now. God, what was _wrong_ with him?

Guatier's arm stretched towards his leg. The tips of his fingers touched the sole of Nate's shoe. Nate backed away again.

"M-my baby…" A hoarse whisper left the man's mouth. "Don't… don't hurt…" Guatier's eyes closed. He sucked in a final wet and painful gasp of air, and then he breathed no more.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Parental Rights  
—

* * *

Questions of his mental health continued to plague Nate as he closed the door behind him, though these thoughts were less stress inducing now that he was outside.

Charlie stood near the back of the truck, staring at the supplies in the back. From what he could see, she had accumulated a large amount of goods while Nate had been occupied with the baby. If they wanted to, they didn't need to scavenge through any more houses. As much as the idea pleased Nate's tired body, the apocalypse didn't afford such laid back luxuries. Nothing was certain. If they left the supply hunting for another day, the goods could easily be gone as they could be waiting for them to take it.

Vaughan was supposed to be with the truck. When scavenging, they would take turns in staying with the vehicle while the other two went out. It was Vaughan's turn. Nate assumed he switched with Charlie, until he saw him standing some distance away from the truck. Vaughan looked like he was talking to someone, though Nate couldn't see who it was. He was wary of meeting new people after what he just went through, especially since his friend's body language was ridged.

Nate decided to go to Vaughan as soon as he put the bags away.

**(o) Put supplies in truck**

Nate walked to the back of the truck. He dropped the baby bag into the trunk. Charlie glared at him. He moved the baby from one shoulder to the other as he took his backpack off. The baby yawned. Charlie looked away as he dropped the bag in the back.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

Nate sighed. "Charles-"

"Why are you such an asshole?" Charlie retorted.

| Sorry |  
| I was born this way |  
**| My life was hard |**  
| … |

"Well Penis Confuser, I used to be nicer but my tragic life made me a dick." Nate sneered. If Charlie had rolled her eyes any harder, they would've twisted out of her head.

"That ain't _true."_ She scoffed. "You were always like this. You've been an asshole ever since you were ten, and ya evolved into a bigger asshole like fuckin' Pokemon. And after Casey-"

He cut her off. "That don't change that I'm in the right this time. This little girl is only five, _maybe_ six months old. I'm willin' to do quite a bit to survive, but I ain't doin' that." Charlie glowered up at the overcast sky. Nate was about to leave after a few moments of silence when she started talking.

"S'not like you can't have morals livin' the way that we do." Charlie said. Nate arched an eyebrow. "Stickin' by your friends, not being racist, all that shit you can keep. But other things you have to forget, or you _will_ die." She gave the baby a scornful look.

| What's wrong with you? |  
| Interesting |  
**| Thanks for the advice |**  
| … |

"Thanks for the advice." Nate said slowly. Charlie nodded. He didn't like the advice for it's not so subtle 'kill the baby' implications, but Charlie was mad enough as it was and he was not in the mood to make it worse.

**(o) Look at baby**

Peaceful sleep went uninterrupted as Nate peered down at the child resting on his shoulder. Hair stuck upward on the side her head was resting on. Her breathing was light, so much so that Nate couldn't feel the rise and fall of her chest, but the occasional sighs and whistles from her nose reassured him of her wellbeing when the random jerks of her body took too long to come.

The baby was so small. The ache in his arms and back, though lessened from the removal of the bags, did not leave entirely despite her size. But she was so _small,_ and the world's newfound dangers were so much bigger than any adult that had been and would ever be in her life. Fragile things like her needed protection from the monsters that ate people and the ones who didn't have to.

She needed a guardian and a parent. The resolve he felt toward her wellbeing did not come from an obligation to raise her, because fuck no he was not going to be a dad. He only wanted her to live, and he was going to make sure of that one day at a time. Thinking about changing diapers, terrible twos, and side stepping father-figure duties would come later. He'd do it if no one else would, and he'd do a better job than what he did for Casey.

**(o) Look at Vaughan**

Moving away from the truck, Nate angled himself until he could see who Vaughan was talking to. He froze when he reached Vaughan's profile.

"Aw _shit."_ Nate whispered under his breath. It was nobody. Vaughan was having a conversation with the _air._ Vaughan turned towards the truck. Nate couldn't see his facial expressions, but he could tell that the younger man was shaking. Vaughan turned back and flinched so hard his feet left the ground. He looked around, his body twisting in awkward angles and his head whipping back and forth. Eventually he stopped, shook his head, took off his glasses, and covered his eyes with his hands.

"They're 'gone' now." Nate murmured to himself, watching Vaughan breathing heavily from afar. Whatever hallucination he'd been having, looking at the truck snapped him out of it. Nate made his way towards the younger man.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

"Hey man." Nate said slowly as he got close to Vaughan. The baby yawned. Vaughan took no note of the little girl.

"Nate…" Vaughan's voice shook. He spread his trembling fingers, startled eyes peeking through the gaps. "I-I saw… I mean… I- she- w-what? おやまあ."

**| Breathe |**  
| What did you see |  
| Go to the truck |  
| … |

Nate used his free hand to squeeze Vaughan's shoulder. He flinched at the touch.

"Breathe. Ya need to calm down and _breathe."_ Nate ordered. Vaughan moved his hands away from his face and began hyperventilating.

"Okay, breathe slower than that. _Slower."_ Nate said. Vaughan's eyes shut. Through his feeble willpower he gradually put his quivering respiration to normal. When he opened his eyes again, they were wide and filled with bewildered fear.

"私… I s-saw Anya." Vaughan told him.

| She's here? |  
| Not possible |  
**| Are you serious? |**  
| … |

"Are you serious?" He groaned, letting go of his shoulder. "Your stupid guilt crap made you hallucinate? You're _still_ hung up on that shit?" Soft whimpering from the baby was muffled against his shoulder. Vaughan stuttered incomprehensibly before stopping himself and glaring at Nate.

"I… I-I didn't _mean_ to hallucinate!" Vaughan argued. "A-and 'stupid guilt crap'? You killed someone because of _me!_ Of course I still feel guilty about it. You should too!"

"Give me a fucking break. Don't be such a girl." Nate said.

"I know you think that we're okay, but I can't handle being angry twenty four hours of the day!" Vaughan said. "I'm still mad at you and Charlie for what the both of you did."

"Saving your life?" Nate didn't hide how stupid he thought Vaughan's complaints were.

"Murdering people!" Vaughan nearly screamed.

| I'm a murderer |  
**| Listen to me |**  
| You piece of shit |  
| … |

"Listen to me_._ I understand why you're pissed off, I really do." Nate said, trying not to yell and accidentally wake the baby. "But this is the fucking apocalypse, and despite that you have your head up your ass where everythin's fine and dandy and people aren't shit, the assholes in the real world mean to do us harm. That's why we gotta do whatever it takes to keep each other safe, not pretend that strangers are gonna leave us alone if we ask nice enough." The weight of the baby in his arms punctuated the hypocrisy of his words, but he ignored it.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that **

"Keep each other safe?" Vaughan said, bitterness strong in his voice. "I thought I was supposed to kill my own innocent people next ti-"

"Hey!" Charlie whispered harshly. The two men jumped and turned towards her. Vaughan kept himself from toppling over. "You're both being too loud! Shut the fuck up!" She waved the knife at both of them, causing the men to flinch away from its reach. When the shock of Charlie's sudden appearance wore off, Vaughan surprised gaze turned downhearted and he looked away from her. Nate looked around, expecting psychos to stumble around the corner. None came.

| Sure |  
**| More scavenging? |**  
| Vaughan, go |  
| … |

"You gonna scavenge for more supplies?" Nate asked in a quieter voice.

"_We_ should." Charlie answered. "The more we get the better. So _you_," She pointed to Nate, "Need to stop talkin' to your _boyfriend _and get to work. And _you_," She pointed to Vaughan, "Gotta stop actin' like a lil bitch just cuz we saved your life and get your ass back to the truck."

"Yes Mom." Vaughan sighed and put a hand over his eyes. No sarcasm was in his voice, nor was there attitude in his gestures. Nate snorted. Charlie glowered at Vaughan, tightening her hold on the weapon as she prepared to verbally rip into him. It was her boyfriend's demeanour that made her pause and caused her, with some reluctance, to let the comment go. Charlie took a moment to fix the glasses on his face before stalking off.

| Bye |  
| You suck |  
**| 'Yes Mom'? |**  
| … |

"Yes _Mom?"_ Nate snickered. "Surprised Charlie didn't kick your ass for that. What was that all about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Vaughan said. He didn't smile. He rotated and flexed his left hand.

"…Whatever man." Nate grumbled, momentary good mood gone. That was it; he didn't have to stay here with Sir stick-up-the-ass any longer. He had work to do. "Go to the truck." He turned to walk away.

"…Wait." Vaughan said.

| Fucking bye |  
| Don't bitch at me |  
**| What? |**  
| … |

Nate huffed, rolled his eyes, and turned back to Vaughan.

"What is it Pocky Dick?" He droned. Vaughan quickly looked around to make sure Charlie wasn't close by. She wasn't. The younger man ran a hand through his hair before speaking.

"Ever since all of… this happened, I haven't been able to go to the doctor. I _need_ to see a doctor because…" Vaughan paused. _"I think I'm getting worse._ And I think hallucinations are a new symptom I've gotten, not just because of _guilt_." He said 'guilt' with a bit of resentment, looking straight into Nate's eyes. The look gave way to a sigh and his eyes closed. "I need to find a doctor…"

**| We will |**  
| Supplies first |  
| How? |  
| … |

"We'll find you a doctor." Nate said. Vaughan's tired eyes opened back up and stared at him. Nate grabbed the younger man's arm and pulled him forward. Vaughan stumbled a bit but allowed himself to be dragged. Standing side by side, Nate draped an arm over his friend's shoulders, turned, and walked towards the truck.

"You're being an irritating dick," Nate continued. "But I saved your ass before, Vee. Why would I let you die of cancer now?" No uncertainties bothered him in assuring Vaughan that he would get help. Cancer was curable. Other people weren't that lucky. Other people had diseases that would reside in them no matter what they did. He still had hope. Someway, that tumour was going out of Vaughan's head. End of the world be damned.

Vaughan's tense shoulders unwound. He pressed his twitching lips together, glassy eyes glancing up at Nate. He tried to say something as Nate returned the look, but only a choked noise came out. Vaughan closed his mouth again and averted his eyes.

Nate let go of him when they arrived at the passenger's side of the truck. Vaughan lifted himself onto the roof. The bag of arrows and the bow, which he had left on the truck, were placed on his back and in his lap respectively. For someone who was supposed to be a watchdog, Vaughan looked no more threatening than he had when he was on the ground. To Nate, he somehow looked smaller up there.

"…My body hurts." Vaughan said. He leaned forward, arms resting on his legs.

"Me too." Nate said. Vaughan opened his mouth to comment on the matter farther, but finding the topic too embarrassing to talk about, he pressed his lips together and veered his gaze. Nate knew he would change the topic even before he saw Vaughan reopen his mouth.

"…I have an idea." Vaughan said. The baby yawned but Vaughan still took no notice of her. "We're not far away from downtown. I'm sure there's a hospital or a pharmacy there. If we can get some temozolomide pills then it will buy us more time to find a doctor."

"Temozo-what now?" Nate asked.

"It's a chemotherapy drug." Vaughan explained. "When Charlie made us write down the survival info before all the wifi shut down, I made sure to research about different kinds of cancer treatments. Temozolomide is one of the ones I remember the most because it's the first time I ever heard of chemotherapy that doesn't involve radiation or liquid injected into you. It's the perfect option for me because I don't have to rely on a machine and I can give it to myself without much effort." He rotated his left shoulder.

**| About downtown… |**  
| About Charlie… |  
| If we can't find it? |  
| Exit |

"Goin' downtown is gonna be fucking dangerous." Nate warned. "There'll be psychos fucking _everywhere_."

"I know." Vaughan said, nodding slowly. "Even if half the population of infected have left the city, that still leaves… Thousands? Millions? It's risky… b-but, um, it'll be worth it in the long run."

**| About Charlie… |**  
| If we can't find it? |  
| Exit |

"How're we going to convince your girl that it's worth the risk?" Nate asked. "To her knowledge, we're both healthy." Vaughan bit his lower lip and looked in the direction that Charlie had walked off to. Nate looked as well and saw nothing but average, assumedly people free homes.

"We're going to say…" Vaughan paused. "W-we're going to say that there's a wider v-variety of medication than what we'll find going through abandoned houses and that we might need those options later. She's always telling us that we need to be prepared for the future, so I-I… I'm sure Charlie will understand."

| Still lying then? |  
**| Want me to tell her? |**  
| Sounds good |  
| … |

"Want me to tell her?" Nate asked. Vaughan failed to hold back a smile.

"As long as you don't tell her anything horrible like last time," Vaughan tried to sound stern. "Then yes, that would be great. Thank you."

"I'll say we need a lifetime supply of Viagra."

"W-what!? N-no!"

"Lots and lots of Viagra."

The hands that covered his reddening face also muffled the profuse stuttering that came out of Vaughan.

**| If we can't find it? |**  
| Exit |

"…What are we goin' to do if we can't find it?" Nate's tone sobered. Vaughan looked down at his lap, shoulders slumping.

"We'll have to find a doctor faster then." He murmured.

**| Exit |**

"I should get back to work." Nate told him. Vaughan was in no position to replace him, especially after hallucinating. Nate could keep going. Ignoring the soreness was easy, he hardly felt it anymore and passing the baby onto Vaughan would make him feel even better.

"Alright," Vaughan said. "But, um, I… I-I want to know how you feel about going." An apprehensive look settled on his face. His fingers played with the string on his bow.

**| Sounds good to me |**  
| I don't like it |  
| You're going anyways |  
| … |

"Sounds good to me." Nate said. "Don't matter if there's more psychos downtown than shit on a farm, they won't bother us as long as we're careful of'm."

**(?) Vaughan appreciates that**

Vaughan's eyes took on a glassy sheen again.

"N-not, um…" Failing to make his voice light, Vaughan cleared his throat and started over. "Not greeting them with vulgarity might help too." A moment passed before Nate realized what he was referring to. When he did, he gave Vaughan a lopsided grin.

"I don't care whatcha say," Nate teased. "'Let me penetrate you' is a great way to start conversations."

"No it's not!" Vaughan protested. He frowned without malice.

"Yeah it is."

"That man was so angry at me! I almost _died!"_

"And I was there to stop that from happening."

"There are still people I'm embarrassed to talk to because of the things _you_ said where proper English phrases!"

"Well it's a good thing it's the apocalypse and all those people are probably dead."

"You're awful."

"Yes I am."

"…Thank you."

"For being awful?"

"For being okay with going downtown."

"Ah, don't worry about it." Nate waved the comment away with his free hand. "Can you hold-"

"Nate! Start the truck!" Both men spun toward the sound of Charlie's booming voice. A dozen psychos shambled out of a house she darted away from. The supplies jumped in the box she carried, threatening to spill over the edge as she rushed to the truck. Vaughan seized an arrow. Before he could stand and draw his bow, Nate grabbed his wrist.

"We need all the ammo we've got for downtown!" Nate told him before Vaughan could protest. "Just get in the truck!" After shooting his girlfriend a worried look, Vaughan nodded, hopped of the roof, and entered the truck. Nate ran around the front and to the driver's side.

**(o)**

Nate dug the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door.

**(o)**

Using the tips of his fingers, he wrenched the door open and sat inside. Charlie dropped the box into the back and slammed the tonneau cover shut. The psychos' moans grew louder.

**(o)**

Nate tried to put the keys in the ignition. It missed the slot, bounced off, and landed next to the gas pedal.

"Shit!" He growled. Charlie jumped into the truck and slammed the door.

**(o) **

Nate snatched the keys off the ground. The monsters shuffled past the backlights of the truck.

**(o)**

Nate shoved the keys in the ignition. The engine roared. He stomped on the gas petal and sped off, leaving the creatures behind. The driver's door flapped as he drove. The baby cried in his lap. Vaughan gawked at the little girl.

"Vaughan, hold her for a sec." He said. Vaughan took her away from Nate in a startled daze. Nate shut the door.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
On The Road Again  
—

* * *

The drums beat along side the static vibrations of electric guitars. Percussions and riffs played at a discreet volume, ensuring that the baby would not be disturbed by the music coming from the CD player.

It took some coaxing from Vaughan before the baby's tears subsided. By the time they were a few miles from her neighbourhood, the baby's mood improved. The occasional hum muffled past her foot as she gummed on it, slobbering drool over her sock and down her chin. An amused yet puzzled smile came across Nate's face as he quickly side glanced at the child. That's what he got for not associating himself with infants. He forgot they were so flexible.

"Um, Nate… Where did you get this baby?" Vaughan asked. He kept blinking at the child in his lap like he was trying to clear his vision of a mirage. If he blinked hard enough the illusion would dissipate, or so his expression implied. The baby stayed solid however, leaning back on his stomach and trying to push her foot deeper into her mouth.

Taking his eyes off the road again to answer Vaughan, Nate caught sight of Charlie's peeved expression. She stared at the baby, something she had been doing on and off ever since Vaughan took the child off his hands.

| I found her |  
| Not important |  
**| I gave birth to her |**  
| … |

Preferring to keep his lap child-free but not trusting Charlie to refrain from snatching the baby up and chuck her out a window, Nate plucked the girl from Vaughan's lap. One wet pop later and the foot was removed from the tiny mouth. Charlie's glare turned to the window beside her. Nate placed a hand on the baby's stomach- he felt an outie bellybutton through her shirt; how cute- and turned himself into a human car seat.

"I gave birth to her." Nate said. The baby cooed as if vouching for him.

"I'm serious." Vaughan's forehead wrinkled. It matched the concern in his tone. From the CD player, Gavin McGregor Rossdale's low, rusty, and almost whiney voice finally began singing as the background music softened so his voice could be heard. He sang of love and hate, getting it wrong, and a woman cutting him down to size.

"So am I." Nate insisted. "Why wouldn't I be? Hurt like hell to crap her out. Look how big she is!" Turd measurements were the only way the baby could be considered big. Nate shook the baby's tummy and the little girl let out a happy, high-pitched screech. Charlie flinched at the sound, head whipping back towards the baby.

"What the fuck was that?" Charlie demanded. The ever-present glare deepened the lines around her eyes.

"Babies have a habit of screaming when they're happy." Vaughan somehow managed to look both charmed and worried as he said this. "It's their way of laughing. I think it's because they don't have much control over their vocal cords yet."

"Whatever." Charlie dismissed his explanation like it was an annoying, useless fact. She looked at Nate. "Where are we goin'?"

"To the hospital." Nate told her. Charlie's eyes grew wide.

"What?" She asked. _"Why?"_

| For future needs |  
| For trading |  
**| Viagra |**  
| … |

The singer on the CD didn't want to come down from a cloud and lamented how much time it took him to find out what he needed.

"Because we need a lifetime supply of Viagra." Nate snickered. He thought he saw Vaughan's cheeks flash a light red before his face was forcibly buried into the palms of his hands, a groan muffled in those same palms. Charlie gave him a look that showcased the effort she was making not to roll her eyes.

"Two things." She said. "One, you're not _fifty_. You don't _need_ that. And two, I highly doubt your hand is going to care that you can't keep it up."

"Your hand might." Nate said. Charlie's unimpressed eyes traveled from his face to his crotch and back to his face again.

"You say that like I can hold onto it." She said.

"I know. It's too big." Nate's matter-of-fact response came with a smile.

"Too _big?" _Charlie looked amused and surprised. "In what, white people standards?" She deepened her voice and spoke like she lost fifty IQ points. _"Oh boy, my dick's a whole inch long!" _

"Your dick's an inch long? No wonder I haven't seen it."

"Yours isn't big. Don't bullshit."

"You change your tune real quick. When we were all at it last night, you were like-" Nate let go of the wheel, took two fingers, and shoved it as far back into his mouth as he could without gagging. "Mmmph _mmph_ mmmm_mmmph!"_

"Can we _not_ talk about this?" Vaughan begged, voice high-pitched and wobbly with embarrassment. Nate saw that he had been right before, Vaughan's cheeks were indeed redder than their normal pale selves. The younger man cleared the discomfort out of his throat. "We need to go to the hospital because we need to stockpile on as much medicine as we can."

Nate wiped the saliva off his fingers and onto the shirt of the baby. She didn't notice. The correction to his Viagra story annoyed Nate a bit, but he let it go. It wasn't realistic enough to convince Charlie it was a good idea to go to the hospital anyways. Though her squinted eyes showed that she wasn't convince by Vaughan's more credible explanation.

"We can just go through the houses and take what we need from there." Charlie told Vaughan.

"_No."_ Vaughan said. The flush dulled. "We need to go to the hospital. There'll be a bigger variety of medicine we can take. We can't just rely on houses for the things we need. That's stupid."

"Stupid." She repeated. Her eyes narrowed farther. _"I'm_ not stupid." The glasses were pushed up Vaughan's face as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I never said you were."

"Nothing I _do_ it stupid."

"Thinking that houses will give us everything_ is_."

"What the hell is _wrong_ with you, fuckface!?"

"…Nothing." He murmured. "I'm sorry." Vaughan suddenly grimaced. He leaned forward, taking off his glasses and placing his right hand on his forehead as he rotated and flexed his left. It looked as though Vaughan was trying to keep his brain from leaking hot liquid out of his head. His face contorted; his eyes squinted shut, his mouth disappeared into a tight line, and he hissed out air; before his features relaxed all at once. He leaned back into the chair and sighed.

An uncomfortable quiet settled in the truck. The baby was the only one not bothered by it. She had made it her mission, a futile mission due to the hand still on her stomach, to try and touch the steering wheel. The landscape outside was transforming from a residential area to small businesses. They would be downtown soon, but the distance was too far for Nate to be sitting in awkward silence.

| You two need to stop |  
**| You two should fuck in the back |**  
| [Tell a story] |  
| … |

"If you want, I can stop the truck and let you two push the supplies to one side and fuck in the back." Nate sounded like he was offering to drop them off at a park instead of something sexual. "Let ya vent your issues out and make you tired enough to stop bitchin' at each other." He scratched his neck and glanced over at them. Vaughan frowned and closed his eyes, too upset by the previous argument to get flustered by Nate's lewd suggestion. Charlie scowled.

"You just couldn't let it be quiet in here, could you?" She huffed. "Ya just _had_ to say somethin', you and your big ass mouth."

"I'll drive reeeeeal slow so you don't fall off." Nate continued like he didn't hear her. "Hell, I might find a bumpy road to drive on, make it real fuckin' good."

"Please stop." Vaughan said without opening his eyes. Charlie made as if to agree with her boyfriend's sentiments, but stopped herself and crossed her arms instead.

"…And why should he?" She challenged. "Least he's tryin' to make things better, like a good boyfriend should. And seein' as you've been a little _bitch _for the last month, Nate would definitely play a better role of that than what you've done." Vaughan's mouth twitched, his shoulders dropped and his head lowered, but he did not open his eyes nor replied.

"You think I'd be a good boyfriend? Did you not learn from the last time?" Nate asked. "Also, you backhanded me in the face not even twenty minutes ago. Why the compliments now?" A large portion of the guitar solo was sung over by Galvin.

"I'm complimenting you now because you're doin' better than this twink." Charlie jerked her head in Vaughan's direction as she said this. "You'd do even better if you complimented me." Ignoring the road for a moment, Nate looked between both of his friends. Charlie's eyes dared Vaughan to say something. Her hands were on his right leg, tapping her fingers against it as she waited for praise. Vaughan sat still. His mouth twitched again but he said nothing.

| You're smart |  
| You're hot |  
**| You look like a boy |**  
| … |

Nate looked back at the road. The singer's voice broke around the line 'when it all comes down'.

"Ya look like a boy." He said. Charlie's complacent expression turned sour.

**(?) Charlie and Vaughan will remember that**

"I said _compliments_ asshole!" She shouted.

"A very _pretty_ boy." Nate added. Vaughan's body began to tremble. He pressed his lips together and covered his mouth, but he couldn't hold it in. He threw his head back and laughed. Nate smiled and drove around a psycho standing in the middle of the road.

"This isn't funny! I do _not_ look like a boy!" Charlie protested.

"There- there was this one time where… " Vaughan tried to speak through his laughter. "Where this gay guy was hitting on her because he thought she was a 'pretty boy' too and- and then… the boyfriend came and… _do you remem-"_ Vaughan found it physically impossible to finish the sentence and kept on laughing. Nate, thinking back to the moment Vaughan was referring to, laughed himself.

"You two are fucking assholes!" Charlie growled. "That man sicced his dog on me and I almost _died!"_

Nate and Vaughan laughed harder, the older man had to stop driving. The baby happy-screeched. Galvin still didn't want to come down from clouds.

* * *

"Still think this is fucking stupid." Charlie grumbled. The sidewalk they traveled on, which would eventually crack from the lack of maintenance and make it impossible for children to keep from breaking their mother's backs, was currently unaffected by the trials of the apocalypse. Nate parked the truck a block away from the hospital after the three of them had reluctantly agreed that, if the hospital were packed with zombies and they had to get away, it would be better to outrun them and then drive off than park closer and be overwhelmed before they could leave.

"There ain't gonna be no medication left in the hospital." Charlie continued to complain. Nate felt her glaring at the back of his head. "It would've been one of the first places people raided when they realized things weren't gonna be fixed. We're going to go into the hospital, see nothin', and then the psychos will come and _fucking eat us." _

"I disagr-" Vaughan's voice hitched as he seemingly tripped over nothing. "Whoa!" His arms spun in an attempt to keep himself from falling. Nate stopped walking and turned to look at the flailing man. Vaughan hopped once before finding his footing and balancing out. Charlie raised an eyebrow at him.

"R-remember," Vaughan went on like nothing happened, though his voice shook a bit from the tumble he almost took. "The government told everyone to keep their sick at home and stay _away_ from the hospitals? Even though people didn't know where the disease came from, they treated hospitals like a ground zero for the virus. No one would have wanted to go there for supplies." Vaughan rotated his left shoulder, stopped, and rotated his wrist.

"…True." Charlie admitted after a moment. "But it's still dangerous."

| It'll be fine |  
| We'll be careful |  
**| Where's your balls? |**  
| … |

"Charles, where did your balls go?" Nate joked. He tilted a head in her direction as he walked forward again. "You were so brave half an hour ago."

**(?) Charlie and Vaughan will remember that**

"It ain't got nothin' to do with _bravery_ Nate." Charlie said. "It's common sense." She stretched backward until a loud pop came from her shoulders. Nate turned around and walked backwards. He moved the baby away from his chest, lifted her in front of his head, and made her face Charlie.

"What you need," He said. "Is some baby motivation." He cleared his throat and began to speak in a high voice. _"You can do it Charlie! You just gotta believe in yourself! Yay!"_ He shook the baby. Vaughan smiled. Charlie rolled her eyes. _"Yay!"_ He shook the baby again.

"Nate, I think you should stop." Vaughan chuckled. "The baby looks like she's going to puke." A light whimper came from the baby. Nate turned the infant back around. She pouted at him and looked a bit green.

| Oops |  
**| Don't puke |**  
| Sorry |  
| … |

"Don't puke on me, you gross ass baby." Nate told her before settling the baby back onto his chest.

"You know, for someone who thinks that babies are gross, you handle one pretty well… _ish."_ Vaughan said.

"Oh please." Nate snorted. "I'm horrible with kids. I'm two heartbeats away from dropping this snot on her ass." That wasn't really true. His arms were tired but he wasn't planning on dumping her in some random place. But he had his flimsy image of baby disdainer to uphold. Not that it was working on Vaughan or Charlie, if her deadpanned expression and his soft, knowing look told Nate anything.

"We're here." Charlie said. Nate stopped walking and looked to his right. The other buildings on the street had an illusionistic normality to them. If the few broken windows, blood, and dead bodies could be ignored, then the buildings only looked momentarily neglected, as if someone had meant to maintain them while the entire population went on a massive field trip and had forgotten their duties.

The hospital, like a rebellious black sheep, made no attempt to appear as if things were normal. Almost all its windows were broken, bloodstained, or both. Bullet holes dotted the brick exterior like large pores, especially around the windows, which gave Nate the mental image of people shooting psychos that were trying to crawl out of them. The fact that many hole filled bodies, some of which might not have been psychos when they had been gunned down, were littered on the base of the hospital made him believe that his mental image wasn't too far off.

The worst aspect of the building was the front doors. Long sheets of plywood boarded the entrance from top to bottom. There were black spray-painted words written in large and wobbly capitals.

"Please don't." Vaughan read aloud. _Please don't._ To Nate, those words where worse than any 'Beware', 'Don't open', or 'Dead inside' sign could ever be. Those other signs always felt like there was a challenge inside of the warning, secretly daring people to disobey. Not this one though. Real, deep concern for anyone who came across the hospital had driven the hand that sprayed the message on the boards. It was as if the messenger couldn't warn people of the danger inside because the danger was too great for words, so it could only_ beg_ people not to go past the boards.

"I'm going to ask the both of you one last time." Charlie's voice cut through the stunned silence between the three of them. The baby, per usual, was blissfully unaware of any danger despite being quiet. "Is the risk of going into this hospital worth whatever we might find?"

Vaughan and Nate looked at each other. A wordless conversation passed through the two of them. Nate arched an eyebrow. 'Do you still want to do this?' Vaughan looked upward, as if trying to see the tumour in his head, before looking back at Nate. 'I still have brain cancer.'

"I think it's worth it." Vaughan said. Charlie's frowning eyes inspected the both of them before she turned her attention back to the hospital.

"…Fine." She said. "We're goin' to have to find another way in though. It'll be too noisy to break off the boards on the door." With that, she left them, walking back and forth on the street with her eyes fixed on the broken hospital. Vaughan gave Nate a light nod before he walked towards the bodies.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Please Don't  
—

"…Well we're in a fuckin' pickle. Seems like it'll take some time to sort out too." Nate told the baby. "You wanna help?" The baby cooed at him and touched his face. He smiled.

"Great." Nate said.

**/!\ Fine a way into the hospital**

Nate had no idea how they were going to get inside, so he figured that he'd bother Charlie for a bit. It wasn't like the hospital was going anywhere.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

"Ain't ya gonna help?" Nate asked. Charlie stopped mid stride. She frowned at Nate before looking back at the hospital.

"I _am_ helping." Charlie said. "I'm lookin' at the hospital from farther back to see if I notice anything the two of you don't from lookin' up close. Are _you_ helping by distracting me?"

"Bwah!" The baby interjected. Was that the first time she'd 'talked'? Nate thought it was.

"Yeah, _bwah!"_ He agreed. One eye roll later, Charlie stretched her arms behind her until a loud pop came from her spine. The release wasn't enough; she swung her arms back to her side and let out an irritable huff.

"My body is sore as _fuck."_ She complained. "That's the last time we're doin' that shit in the truck."

"Outside then?" Nate asked.

"Fuckin' yup."

"Vaughan ain't gonna like that."

"I don't give a shit."

"What about the dead dudes?"

"I don't give a shit."

"Oookay."

"We should go back to the house." Charlie's abrupt change in topic made Nate pause.

"Which house?" He asked.

"The one the puppy came from." She flicked a hand towards the baby as she said this.

"…Why?" Nate asked slowly. Not only was there no need for them to go back there, but that house with its dead bodies and magnifying glasses that enlarged the wrongness inside him was something he wanted to keep far behind him.

"Cuz it's better if we settle down instead of driving aimlessly all over the place." Charlie explained. "'Sides, I think they had a generator. That's how they made the pie right? It'd be stupid for us to let a _generator _collect dust."

**| Sure, why not? |**  
| That's boring as fuck |  
| I don't know |  
| … |

That far too large part of him, the one that loved the thrill of the apocalypse, flicked it's rattling tail on his insides. No, he did not want to stay in one place, whether it was a chapel or a crime scene. No, he didn't care if there was a generator in the house, he'd break it before it chained him down. No, he didn't care if it was stupid; he wanted to be free to run wild on the roads of the end of the world.

"…Sure, why not? I like road tripping as much as anybody else but I wouldn't mind settlin' down with the two of you, especially with all this shit going on. I've pretty much done that for five weeks now in a tiny ass space. What's another year in an actual house until everything blows over?" No internal conflict weighed Nate's voice, and while he spoke he mentally told himself to be normal, be _normal_ god damn it.

"It could take five years though. Or ten." Charlie said. She was eyeing him in a way that almost suggested that she could read his mind.

Nate tried harder to sound casual. "I probably wouldn't notice the time go by if it was that long. Besides, we can always leave if we get stir crazy. It don't have to be permanent."

"Like the puppy." He wasn't sure whether Charlie brought this up out of her insistent resentment of the baby or because she was trying to distract him from his thoughts; either way, Nate's conflict was pushed aside in the wake of her comment.

He sighed. "Charlie-"

She cut him off. "I don't want to be raisin' no kid."

| Charlie stop |  
**| Vaughan'll be disappointed |**  
| You don't have to do shit |  
| … |

"Vaughan'll be disappointed about that." Nate said.

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

"Why?" She asked.

"He wants to have kids." Nate told her. He didn't think about whether or not Vaughan would've wanted to tell Charlie in his own time.

"With _who?" _Though she clearly knew the answer to that, her tone made it clear that she wanted him to say someone else's name, like Vaughan had a fountain of women he could choose to breed with.

"With _you _babe_." _He said.

"I ain't raising no kid." She crossed her arms to punctuate the finality of her words.

| Why do you hate kids? |  
**| The baby is a backup meal |**  
| Just wait a while longer |  
| … |

Nate shifted the baby in his hold. God, his arms hurt.

"If we get desperate for food, we could eat the baby." He offered. For the first time that day, Charlie smiled at the child. It was wolfish and cold.

"You're a hillbilly." She told him when she looked away.

"Pot calling the kettle black, Charles." Nate said.

"Only white people can be hillbillies." Charlie said.

Nate snorted. "Who the fuck told you that?"

"It's common knowledge." She said, matter-of-fact and smiling.

"Bull_shit." _Nate said. They both laughed.

"Let's keep looking around." Charlie said when they settled down. "I'm sure we'll find a way in eventually."

**(o) Show baby**

Nate turned the baby towards Charlie.

"Mmmahblah." The baby gurgled.

**(?) The baby likes Charlie's hair**

"…Why are you pointin' the puppy at me?" Charlie asked.

"She's inspectin' you." Nate told her. "Seeing if ya found a way inside the building." Charlie stared at Nate and then walked away.

"She has no respect for your expertise." Nate informed the little girl as he rested her back onto his chest. This information did not bother the baby. Deciding that he wasted enough time, Nate walked towards the entrance of the hospital.

**(o) Look at doors**

Please don't. Those words still bothered him. He knew it was dangerously reckless to go inside, but they had no choice. Vaughan needed the medication and the only way they could find the temozo-whatever was if they picked up their balls and scavenged the hospital. But still… _please don't._

"Damn…" Nate murmured.

**(o) Show baby**

Nate turned the baby and pointed her to the boarded doors.

"You see that Drool-O-Rama?" Nate asked. "That's someone trying to warn us not to go in. We ain't listenin' because we're dumb." The baby grabbed at the boards. She pulled, but nothing happened.

"Nice try." Nate said as he moved the baby away from the door. "We can't break the boards down anyways. It'll make too much noise."

**(o) Talk to baby**

The baby stared up at him, mouth slightly agape, like she was waiting for him to speak. So he obliged, deciding to take a break from the little detective work he did.

"…Y'know, my mom wanted Casey to be a girl." Nate began. "If she got what she wanted, she would've had the ideal American family; mammy, pappy, older son, younger daughter; just a dog away from being a perfect family. But Casey disappointed mom some by being born male." He paused, not liking how his voice had turned strangely acidic. He flicked his tongue around the inside of his mouth like it could scrub the bitterness away.

"When I found out about that," Nate continued, sounding less sour. "Not only did I tease the piss out of him for weeks, sayin' shit like 'Casey, Casey, shouldda been Stacy'- I was young, so obviously I thought that it was mad clever of me to come up with that _awesome_ insult on my own- I also brought it up whenever the opportunity presented itself."

"So eventually my brother got tired of me making fun of his supposed-to-be-a-girl ass and wanted somethin' to use against me. So after asking mom about more stories when we was kids, she went ahead and told him that he used to call me Nay when he was really young. _Nay,_ like a horse or that Shakespearian shit. Not that it was a surprise to either of us, my cousins used to call me that when they were rug rats too, but that was all he had to work on so he took it."

"Though eventually he realized that making horse fucking noises weren't botherin' me none, so it slowly turned from being a weak insult to an enduring nickname. After a while, Casey was the only one who called me that, our cousins growing too old to mispronounce my name. He was the only one who…" Nate swallowed down something hard, which was odd because he didn't remember putting anything into this mouth.

"…I guess what I'm saying is that," He cleared his throat. "If ya end up stayin' with us for a very long time, then I'm makin' sure you know how to say my name properly. It ain't hard to pronounce." Was that how he had been planning to end the story all along? It didn't have any morals or lessons at all. It was just a flat, unnecessary story that put lumps in his throat and made his chest squeeze his lungs too tight.

**(?) The baby likes the sound of your voice**

"We've wasted enough time shooting the shit right?" Nate grumbled. "Let's look for a way inside." Not knowing which way to go, he walked towards Vaughan when he caught sight of him.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

Vaughan stood hunched over on the green and brown grass, arms wrapped loosely around himself. The rotting, hole-ridden, crumpled bodies on the ground held his attention.

"Figure out anything?" Nate asked Vaughan when he got close. The younger man blinked hard at the sound of his voice. Slowly, he tore his eyes away from the bodies and shook his head. Nate didn't like how wide Vaughan's eyes were and how it took a lot of effort to make them go back to normal. Looking at the baby seemed to help though.

"W-what are you planning to do with her?" Vaughan asked. "Are you going to take care of her or…"

| I'm not sure yet |  
| Raise her myself |  
**| Give her to someone else |**  
| … |

"I think I'm gonna dump her on someone else, if they want her." Nate said. "And if they don't then I'll football throw her at'm and run away. But we ain't gonna have her for long if we can find someone else to take care of her."

"And if we can't?" Vaughan asked.

**| I'll take care of her |**  
| We'll drop her off somewhere |  
| We'll find someone |  
| … |

"Then I'll take care of her." He said. Nate wasn't going to just drop her in a dumpster if no one came along.

"Eeeee." The baby couldn't understand a word but she sounded pleased by his answer nonetheless. Both men smiled.

"I'm sure there's been many people who've lost children in all of this, as sad as that is to say." Vaughan said. "So those people might be willing to take her off our hands."

"Use her as a replacement?" Nate asked.

"I can't imagine that you can ever really replace a kid, but having another child might make you cope." Vaughan sighed. "…We can't have kids."

| You don't want the baby around? |  
| Why not? |  
**| It's not biologically possible |**  
| … |

"I know _we _can't have kids, it's not biologically possible." Nate smirked. "If you wanna try then go ahead, but it ain't gonna make nothin'."

"U-um…" Vaughan's flustered hesitance made Nate's smirk grow. "N-not me and you. Charlie and I… we can't bring a child into a world like this. It's too dangerous. If things get better in the future, then maybe we could. But I don't even know if I'll… I, um, yeah."

**| You could adopt her |**  
| Babies are gross |  
| You think things will get better? |  
| … |

"You could adopt her ya know." Nate said. Vaughan never thought of that, the surprise on his face made that obvious.

"I…" Vaughan paused. He hunched over until he was eye level with the baby. "Would you like that 赤ちゃん? あなた 和 とても かわいい です よ?" The language of baby talk was universal, so Nate didn't need to understand what was said to know that the younger man was saying something cheesy and stupid. The baby gawked at Vaughan; taken in with wonder at the kuh-wais and chans and whatever else he was saying, as if she knew that he was no longer speaking English. Maybe she did. He said some more Annie May words to the infant before slowly standing upright again.

"…I wish I could, but I can't. At least not without Charlie's consent. She'd be the one who have to raise her if I… die." Vaughan made a face as if saying the word 'die' left a bitter taste in his mouth. It made a bad taste in Nate's mouth too.

| Good thing you won't die |  
| She doesn't want kids |  
**| Don't talk like that |**  
| … |

"Don't even start talkin' like that." Nate scolded. "The hospital will have what we need, and if it don't then I'm gonna find you a doctor, remember?"

"…She was so afraid of hospitals." Vaughan said after a long pause. "My mom, I mean. It's, um, partly due to what happened to my dad. He went to one for some small thing and just… came out dead. Mom was always a bit neurotic, so that really affected her. When she got sick to the point where she couldn't leave the house, I had to take care of her because she refused to get any help. She would always say '恋ちゃん, no matter what happens; don't send me to the hospital'."

| I'm sorry about your mom |  
| You never told me this before |  
| Shit man |  
**| … |**

Nate scratched his neck. He didn't know how to reply to that.

"I-I…" Vaughan quavered. "I understand why she was so scared now. I know it's stupid, there's more reasons to be afraid of going into hospitals now then there was before the outbreak, but I don't r-really want to go in there anymore. I… I-I… I don't want _this_ to happen to us." Vaughan gestured to the bodies. "I don't want my cancer to put us all in danger."

**| We'll be fine |**  
| Let's focus on getting inside |  
| Don't be so negative |  
| … |

"This ain't shit, Chopsticks." Nate said. "We'll be fine, don't worry about it." Though he nodded, Nate could tell Vaughan wasn't convinced. Instead of inspecting the hospital walls, he went back to staring at the bodies.

**(o) Show baby**

Nate turned the baby towards Vaughan. He raised her in front of his head and cleared his throat.

"_You might be sick but you look good to me!"_ Nate said with a high voice, moving the baby as if she were the one talking. Vaughan looked at the baby with a confused tilt of the head. _"Don't worry about your cancer! We're going to find you a doctor and you're going to be a-okay! Yay!"_ Nate shook the baby. A smile slowly spread across Vaughan's face.

"…Thank you." Vaughan said.

**(?) The baby wants Vaughan's glasses**

"_Let's go look for a way inside!"_ The 'baby' cheered.

"Okay." Vaughan said. He actually started looking at the hospital this time.

**(o) Look at window**

Nate walked up to the window, stepping over the bodies to get a closer look. Large glass like jagged knifes pointed to the wide hole in the center of the window.

"If we can break the glass away we could pull ourselves through." Nate said to himself. "But how are we goin' to break it without making noise?"

**(o) Show baby**

"You see all this glass?" He asked the baby. "We gotta find a way to- _Shit!"_ The baby grabbed hold of one of the pieces of glass. His entire body tensed. She didn't hurt herself yet, but she would if he didn't move her. Nate carefully let go of one his hands supporting the baby's weight and used it to slowly remove the baby's hand from the glass. As he was moving her hand, and internally swearing about the little brat's stupidity, he felt the glass move.

"You could have cut your hand, you dumbass!" Nate chastised when he finally removed her hand from the window. "…You did give me an idea though. I can just pull the glass out."

"Ah!" The baby said.

"No, not _ah_, you're still a dumbass." Nate replied.

**(o) Pull out glass**

"Hey Vaughan." Nate called. Vaughan walked up beside him.

"Ye-" The baby that was suddenly shoved into his arms made him stop talking. He lost balance for a moment before straightening out. The baby cooed at him and tried to grab his glasses.

"Thanks man." Nate said. He took off his jacket and began pulling out the pieces of glass, holding the jacket in his hands to protect them from the sharp edges.

**[→]**

**[←]**

**[→]**

**[←]**

**[→]**

**[←]**

Charlie noticed what he was doing and walked towards him. It took Nate a minute to get all the pieces out.

**[→]**

**[←]**

**[→]**

**[←]**

**[→]**

**[←]**

"There we go." Nate said when he was done. Multiple holes of varying size ruined the jacket. He thought about shaking the glass shards out of the jacket, but changed his mind and draped it over the window. He placed his arm on the ledge and turned towards Vaughan and Charlie.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Breaking And Entering  
—

"You ready?" He asked the both of them.

"No." Charlie and Vaughan said in unison. Charlie's tone was irritable and edgy. Vaughan's voice was low and filled with apprehension. Nate sighed and pulled himself through the window. He took a flashlight out of his backpack and turned it on. Vaughan handed him the baby and went through. Though he went to the other side without catching his foot on anything, he still ended up losing balance and falling on the ground. Charlie went through as Vaughan was standing back up.

Nate pointed the flashlight in front of them. Bullet holes lined the walls, not as many as there had been on the front of the building, but one bullet hole was one too many so that hardly mattered. Papers littered the floor. Dark blood was splattered over the walls and pooled on the ground. It was dark were the light from outside couldn't reach. He knew it was just in his head, but it looked like the darkness was _eating_ the light instead of fading into it.

This must have been what Casey felt like when he went to the hospital alone, Nate thought. Walking through the darkness of the dead and dying all around him, darkness that ate the light of the healthy. What a horrible place for a kid to sit and wait to see if he'd become one of the sick and dying too. What a horrible place for an adult too, since Vaughan went through the same thing.

"We are going to take whatever we can find as quickly as we can and then we are fucking _out._ Understand?" Charlie whispered abruptly as she took her own flashlight out and turned it on. Nate and Vaughan nodded.

"We have to find the pharmacy first." Vaughan said as he took out his flashlight. He turned it on. The light from his flashlight circled around the hallway as he rotated his left wrist.

"There's a map on wall at the end of the hallway." Nate told them. He pointed his flashlight to it. They walked forward. Another hallway started at the end of the hallway they were in. When they reached the end, Nate held the flashlight up. Vaughan and Charlie stopped. Nate looked both ways, making sure both ends were clear, and walked in front of the map. The other two followed.

**(o) Look at map**

Cracked glass and blood splatter obstructed the image of the map behind the casing. Nate had to lean in and squint at the yellowed map before he could make anything out. The layout of the hospital, with many corridors and rooms, was large as it was simple. Even if they got lost, it would be easy to find their way back to the hallway they were currently in.

"We have to go… right from where we are now and walk… down to the end of the hallway." Nate said, tracing the path with his fingers. "Then turn left and walk until we see the pharmacy."

"That isn't very far." Vaughan observed.

"You'd be right if there weren't no psychos ready to pop out at us." Charlie said. They all paused at that comment before Nate turned right and continued walking. Vaughan and Charlie followed him.

The baby was being mercifully quiet as they made their journey down the corridors of the hospital. Even so, their footfalls sounded like clashing cymbals to their ears no matter how gently they walked, their breathing like trumpets no matter how lightly they respired, and their heartbeats banged like war drums no matter how hard they tried to calm down.

Even though he knew they were being too quiet for that to happen, Nate thought the monsters would hear them. The noise they were making would be unacceptable to their dead ears, and they would overcome the three trespassers and devour them for daring to come to their territory.

Nothing like that happened. After a thousand years and a day, the pharmacy came into view. It took the collective self-control of all three of them to not rush into the store. Though they still weren't safe, Vaughan let out a huge sigh of relief and leaned against the wall when they entered. Nate looked around.

"Aw _shit."_ He hissed. Vaughan almost asked him what was wrong until he noticed the state of the pharmacy for the first time. Medicine bottles and boxes, both empty and unopened, lied discarded on the granite floor. Pills crushed into powder held the imprint of the shoes that trampled them, their whiteness contrasting the dirt of frantic feet. The shelves were in various positions like war heroes; fallen flat on the ground, standing bravely upright amongst the chaos, and leaning wounded on the standing ones. All the shelves held a scarce amount of medication. The _entire_ pharmacy had a scarce amount of medication.

Vaughan tried to speak. Only incomprehensible stutters left his mouth. Charlie, to Nate's surprise, only had an expression of mild annoyance on her face.

"…There are some bottles still lyin' around." Nate told the other two. "We'll take what we can and we'll leave. Vaughan, you see that room in the back? Go in and see if you can find anything. Charlie, you pick up whatever's on the ground here." The state of the pharmacy, though unexpected, did not deter Nate. They would've been wasting their time if they were looking for pain meds or sleeping pills, but temozo-longname wouldn't be in high demand for survivors. It had to be in here, if not the pharmacy then somewhere else in the hospital.

Charlie nodded and got to work. Vaughan forced himself to move towards the room in the back. Nate started walking after him when Charlie spoke up.

"One of you is sick." The words spoken were too sure of themselves to be a question. Nate looked at her with wide eyes.

**| We weren't bitten |**  
| No we aren't |  
| How'd you find out? |  
| … |

Nate tried to play dumb. "We weren't bitten Ch-"

"That's not what I mean." Charlie interrupted him. "When you called me on the phone, ya wanted me to come right away. You wanted to tell me that one of you was sick. I don't know why you had to take the roundabout way but that's not important. Which one of you is it? Vaughan? You? The both of you?" Charlie frowned. _"Did you get my boyfriend sick?"_

"Are you… are you asking me if I gave Vaughan an _STD?"_ Nate asked, astonished that she was suggesting that.

"Did you?" Charlie asked.

"Fuckin' _no_ Charlie!" His voice was too loud. The baby whimpered. They both paused and waited. No psychos came. "…If that were the case then you would have it too, you stupid bitch."

"Then what is it?" Charlie demanded. "Which one of you is sick and what do ya have?"

**| It's Vaughan |**  
| I'm sick |  
| No one is sick |  
| … |

Charlie raised her hand before Nate could speak.

"Nevermind. Don't tell me now." Charlie told him. "We ain't got the luxury to talk much. I shouldn't have distracted you. We need to get out of here as quickly as possible." Charlie frowned at him. "But the _moment_ we get outside you and your _boyfriend_ are goin' to tell me exactly what's going on. And if you try to keep it from me any longer I will kick both of you in the balls_ I swear to God."_

Nate raised a hand in the air. "Alright. Okay." He said.

"Good. Now go get whatever it is that you or Vaughan or the _both_ of you need and let's get the hell out of here." Charlie said. She rubbed her forehead. "…They don't sell cigarettes in hospitals, do they?"

"No, they don't." He said.

Charlie grumbled. "God fucking damn it." She turned her attention back to the ground and picked up more stray bottles. Nate moved away from her, dreading the conversation they were going to have when they got outside, and walked to the back room.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

He pointed his flashlight at the moving thing in the dark room. Vaughan flinched when the light hit him and nearly fell over. Regaining his balance, he tried to speak again. Nothing understandable came out.

"Vaughan-" Nate began.

"N-Nate, I c-can't any temozolom-mide!" Vaughan finally blurted.

**| You said that quickly |**  
| Look harder |  
| It's okay |  
| … |

"How do you say that so quickly?" Nate wondered.

"Nate I-I'm being s-serious!" Vaughan's whisper was a few octaves away from a regular speaking voice "I can't- I _can't_ find it! W-w-what am I supposed to do? Will we have to go to an-nother hospital? Did I risk all of our lives for no r-reason? I-I…" He ran his hands through his hair and looked at the ground. "What am I going to d-do?"

**| Breathe first |**  
| You're really annoying |  
| The hospital has more meds |  
| … |

"The first thing you're going to do is breathe, _slowly_." Nate put a hand on his shoulder. Vaughan lowered his arms and slowed his breathing down. After a few breaths, he looked up at Nate.

"Now, you're gonna wait for me to come back." Nate told him. Before Vaughan could ask what he meant Nate continued. "I'm going to look around. I'm sure the hospital has more than one place where they keep their medication. I'll try to find it. You keep looking in there. Maybe you'll find somethin'." Nate let go of Vaughan's shoulder.

"A-alright." Vaughan said. "Be careful." Nate nodded and walked away. Charlie didn't look at him when he passed her and walked out of the pharmacy.

Tense as he was from walking alone, the pain in his arm did not shy away from reminding him of how sore he was. The baby wasn't helping at all. He wanted to leave her with Charlie or Vaughan, but Nate didn't trust Charlie with her and Vaughan lost his footing too much to be a reliable baby holder either.

**(o) Look at baby**

The far off look in her green eyes told him that she would fall asleep soon. That was fine, Nate wouldn't have to worry about her baby talking and giving away their position. All she needed to do now was loose a few pounds.

"You get really heavy after a while, y'know that?" Nate told her. An apathetic yawn left the baby. She rested her head on his shoulder and wiggled a bit.

"Rude ass baby." Nate said under his breath. He walked towards an elevator.

**(o) Look at sign**

A sign hung above the up button. It showed what practice was on each floor. Cancer treatment was on the fifth.

"I have to go up five flights of fucking stairs with this heavy ass baby." Nate groaned. "Goddamn it." He turned to his right, saw the doors for the stairs, and walked.

**(o) Look at doors**

Cylindrical metal bars were shoved between the handles of the doors. All of them had a slight bend that pointed forward away from the doors.

"I better pull these out if I'm going to get up stairs." Nate said. "Just hope whatever these were keeping in moved somewhere else."

**(o)**

He pulled one of the bars out. He knelt down and gently placed it on the floor. There was a light 'tink' noise when it hit the ground.

**(o) **

Nate stood back up, took another bar out, knelt down, and placed it on the floor.

**(o)**

Tink.

**(o) **

Tink.

**(o)**

Tink.

**(o)**

Tink.

**(o)**

"There." Nate said as the final piece of metal came out.

**(o) Listen at door**

He pressed his ear against the cold metal of the door. He thought he heard the door creak but nothing more.

**(o) Open door**

Nate moved the baby to the other arm. His warm hand wrapped around the cool handle.

"Ready?" He asked the baby. She sighed and wiggled again. Nate opened the door, leaning his free shoulder on the edge to keep it open, and pointed his flashlight into the darkness.

The corridor was packed with psychos. Their dead eyes, appearing to glow from the light, zoned in on him. Nate yanked his arm out. He slammed his shoulder against the door. The snarling head of a psycho kept it from closing.

Nate ran. His arms were heavy. The moans of the undead trailed after him. Nate almost fell. A door broke as he past it, releasing more psychos. Nate's arms felt weak. He turned the corner and nearly collided with a psycho.

He darted to the right. It grabbed for him and missed. Nate ran faster. He almost dropped the baby. She didn't cry. The moans were getting louder. Nate made it to the pharmacy. He put the baby down on a counter, knowing that he would drop her if he didn't give himself a second's rest. His arms felt weighed down by boulders.

"Charlie! Vaughan! We got to go _now!"_ He screamed. Charlie and Vaughan didn't wait for an explanation. They followed him out of the pharmacy. They sprinted down the halls, the lights of their flashlights dancing all around them, until they made it to the window they first came out of and jumped through.

Both Nate and Charlie made it to the other side unharmed. Vaughan's foot caught on the edge of the windowsill. He toppled over, yelping, and landed on top of one of the bodies. Hissing, he slowly sat up, hands pressed against his forehead. Charlie helped him up.

"My head…" Vaughan groaned. "I was already having a headache and… ow…"

"Let's get back to the truck. We don't need to be here anymore." Charlie said. Nate gave a small nod, irritated with himself. He ruined their chance at getting the temozo-what'sitcalled pills.

"…Nate?" There was a concern in Vaughan's voice that Nate didn't like. "Wh… where's the baby?"

"What?" Nate gave him a blank stare until he noticed that his arms, though still aching, felt much lighter than they had before. He heard faint crying from inside the hospital.

"Oh my God." Nate's voice was filled with terror. He had to save her! Nate took a step forward but stopped when Charlie grabbed his arm.

"Leave it." Charlie ordered. A dark haze passed over his eyes.

"What?" Nate growled. "Bitch, I-"

"If you go in there, you'll die." Charlie said quickly. "If by some miracle you survive with the baby in tact, that little shit is gonna keep crying. And her cries are going to attract psychos from all over the place. We ain't gonna survive that. You can fight me all you want, but I'm tellin' the truth." She was right. Nate knew she was. "We have to go _now_."

"No!" Vaughan cried through his pain. "Nate, you have to get her! I know you don't like children and I know you said we have to do anything to survive, but she's just a _baby!_ Please! You h-" Vaughan couldn't finish, his migraine was too strong. He gripped his head and groaned.

"Nate, either we _all_ die or the three of us get to live." Charlie told him, letting go of his arm. "That's what your choices _really_ are." Nate looked at Charlie, then Vaughan, and then through the window. He should go, take Charlie and Vaughan and get out of the city. He barely knew the baby. He didn't know her name. He didn't know if she really was a _she_ at all. He didn't owe her anything. His friends were his priority, not some stranger he found in a house he broke into.

He could still hear the baby cry.

| Leave |  
**| Get baby |**

Nate threw himself through the window.

"Nate!" Charlie's scream was nearly frantic.

"_Go to the truck!"_ He screamed back. They wouldn't be able to get inside the truck, he still had the keys. That didn't occur to Nate. His feet were a blur, barely touching the ground as he dashed towards the pharmacy. Some of the psychos turned at the sound of his shoes scraping against the floor. The rest trudged toward the baby's cries. He dodged out of the reach of every monster in his way.

Then the crying turned into the worst sound Nate ever heard.

It was a shrill, panicked noise that hit such a high octave that could break glass, and it got higher and higher as Nate ran forward.

It was filled with hysterical pain, a sound that only people in hell could empathize with.

And it was coming from a _baby._ That was the worst part. It was coming from a child and children were _never_ supposed to scream like that.

Then it stopped. It didn't gradually turn into sniffles and then soft moaning sounds like when Vaughan had calmed her down in the truck, and it didn't fade away like when Nate had fed her in the nursery. Just stopped. Like it hadn't been there at all.

Nate halted in front of the pharmacy. If he had just left when the crying ceased, then it wouldn't have been as terrible. The sounds of the baby would have haunted him but he wouldn't have had visuals to go with them. Unfortunately, he stayed standing there, looking into the store.

And when the psycho walked out with a bloody mess in its hands, he saw _exactly_ what had happened to the baby.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Sweetest Little Baby In Town  
—

* * *

"Nate, where are we going?" Charlie asked. Nate didn't answer her. He kept his blank eyes on the road. A distant part of him knew that she had asked him that multiple times. He didn't care.

The emotional pain inflicted in him at the sight of the dead baby was extreme. His soul had been electrocuted hard and fast with all the guilt, anger, and grief his mind could produce. He felt that way for what seemed like hours but was only a minute. Then all of it went away, like each individual grievance had gotten bored of him and abandoned ship. Now he was driving aimlessly, every part of him numb.

"You said we could go back to the house." Charlie stressed. "Where the fuck are we?" One of the many theories he thought of for why he didn't really care for the people he killed was that he was suppressing his guilt. With that idea, if he were to feel something over the death of a stranger one day, then all the guilt from what he did to Anya, Hanna, and Guatier would come flooding in. The death of the baby, someone who was just as much a stranger to him as her parents had been, gave him the strongest reaction to a stranger's death that he had ever since the outbreak. But Nate still felt nothing for the others.

Questions without emotional weight rolled in his head. Was he really a psychopath? Was he still suppressing his guilt of their deaths and not realizing it? Or was something else wrong with him? There was no one to tell him, so Nate doubted that he'd ever find out.

"_Nate."_ Charlie's stern voice caught his attention. Still driving at a moderate speed, Nate dragged his eyes from the windshield to her face. She looked frustrated with a hint of something else. It took a moment of mental processing before Nate could tell that something else was fear. He was sure Charlie had been scared of him at one point in her life, but it was still odd to see it on her face, however light it was. Or it would've been odd if Nate could feel his emotions.

He thought Charlie would know if he'd blanked out like this at the funeral. Thinking retrospectively about the service, which he rarely ever did, would piss off and depress him to an almost unbearable degree. But after he placed the casket back on its stand, he couldn't recall if he'd continue to fight the urge to completely loose it or if his emotions had run away from him.

Vaughan sat in between them, head on Charlie's shoulder and breathing softly. Nate didn't know when the younger man had fallen asleep. Now that he thought about it, he didn't remember getting into the truck. Turning back to the road in front of him, he noticed that the sky was dark. The sky had been a light grey when he left the hospital. Stars now lit the sky like brilliant light bulbs. Nate looked at the gas gauge. It was almost empty.

"We need gas." His voice was flat and lifeless. A gas station came into view. Nate pulled into the parking lot and stepped out. He thought they could scavenge for supplies while they were here, but the station looked empty and there were no other buildings around aside from the restroom. Looking at the restroom made his bladder feel heavy. Nate walked towards it and went inside.

When he finished his business in the excrement and urine scented stall, Charlie was waiting for him.

| Hello |  
**| This is the men's bathroom |**  
| Go away |  
| … |

"This is the men's bathroom." He told her. Nate went to the sink to wash his hands. No water came out when he turned the knob.

"You have to snap out of it." Charlie said. "I let you act like you're brain dead for the last _five hours_ but ya have to stop. Now."

**| Five hours |**  
| Leave me alone |  
| Okay |  
| … |

"Five hours." Nate repeated. Though he lost track of time in his state of numbness, it didn't feel like five hours to him. However, it did explain why it was so dark. Nate shrugged, indifferent to the information.

Charlie growled. She went up to him, grabbed his collar, and pulled down until their faces were inches apart. Nate let himself be pulled.

"I don't understand why your acting like this now." Charlie snarled. "You told me that you barely felt _anything_ when you killed that bitch before, and you hardly gave a fuck when I killed the parents of that goddamn little shit! The puppy was just another obstacle in our way, so just get over her like you got over the others alred-" The words, like boiling water, burned through the numbness in his head. Nate dug his nails into Charlie's arms and slammed her against the stall. There was an anti-climatic clanging sound as her back collided with metal. She hissed; eyes turned to slits in the wake of the sudden pain in her back. Nate's eyes burned into hers.

"You've killed before." Charlie said.

| You knew she was still there |  
| Shut the fuck up |  
**| Not. Fucking. Children |**  
| … |

"Not. Fucking. _Children!"_ Nate roared. "I never killed a_ child_, you evil cunt!"

"So that's the problem? It was her age?" Charlie sounded curious in the mist of her frustration and discomfort. Nate pulled her back from the stall door and smashed her against it again. She groaned and shook her head.

**| Never again |**  
| I hate you |  
| Would you kill me or Vaughan? |  
| … |

"Never again! You hear me!?" Nate thundered. "If we come across another child, none of us are killing shit! _Do you understand!?" _

"_You_ might not do it. But I ain't lettin' _no one_ put us in danger. Don't care how old they are." An 'oof' punctuated the end of Charlie's sentence as Nate slammed her even harder against the stall.

"I'm going to kill you." His voice shook with pent up rage.

"No you won't." Charlie told him.

| Leave her alone |  
**| Kill Charlie |**

Nate's hands flew to Charlie's neck. Charlie flinched. Fear, subtle but unquestionably there, bulged her eyes. He could feel her heart beat through the palms of his hands. He was going to stop the beating, even if he had to tear out her damn vocal cords to do it. The bitch was going to die. A low and unstable laugh came from the bottom of Nate's throat.

**(?) You attacked Charlie**

He squeezed down. Charlie let in a strained gasp through the pressure on her neck. The fear in her eyes faded.

"Nate." She croaked. "If you're gonna kill me, you have to squeeze harder than that." His fingers trembled against her skin. Scowling, he tried to press down with more force. Charlie still breathed. She slowly placed her hands on top of his. Trying to channel all the fury and hurt in him, Nate struggled to make his hands move, to stop her breathing, to bruise her, _something._ He couldn't do it. He'd hurt her in the past, fought her until they both ended up in the hospital, but he couldn't kill her then and he couldn't do it now.

Charlie curled her fingers around his. The tremors in his hand subsided the farther they were moved from her neck. Nate lowered his head in time to the gradual descent of his arms.

"…Okay," Charlie said. "If we're done here then we need to-"

The bathroom door flew open. Vaughan charged in, his bow and arrow ready to fire. His eyes were wide. Charlie and Nate froze.

"Vaughan?" Charlie asked. "What the hell?"

"Where are Charlie and Nate?" Vaughan demanded. A confused look snapped between the people in question before they looked back at Vaughan.

"…That's us." Charlie said. Vaughan shook his head.

"No you're not." Vaughan said. He pointed his weapon at her. "Where are they? _What have you done with them!?"_

"Oh shit." Nate murmured. "He's hallucinating… Charlie, don't say anything. Let me deal with this." It was clear that Charlie wanted to say something, but she was too baffled to ignore his request.

"She isn't Charlie!" Vaughan screamed. The bow and arrow moved from Charlie's direction to Nate. Nate raised his hands in the air.

| It's us |  
**| You're right |**  
| What do you see? |  
| … |

"You're right." Nate said slowly. "We aren't your friends. But we know where they are." He ignored Charlie's gawk.

"W-where are they?" Vaughan asked with a trembling voice.

"I'll tell you. But you gotta deal with the man behind you first." Nate said. Vaughan spun around. Nate sprinted forward and tackled him. They went flying out of the restroom.

**(?) You attacked Vaughan**

They bounced off the pavement. Vaughan rolled away before Nate could get a good hold on him. He picked up the bow and arrow he dropped. Nate jumped off the ground and ran towards him.

**(o) **

Nate punched Vaughan hard in the stomach. Vaughan dropped his weapon and held his midsection. Frantic wheezing left his mouth. He staggered backward.

**(o)**

Nate drew his arm back and punched him in the face. Vaughan's head whipped to the side. His glasses ejected from his face. He collapsed like a rag doll, floppy and boneless. Nate stood above him and waited for him to get up. He didn't.

Grimacing with worry, Nate knelt down. He pressed a finger on the younger man's neck. He didn't think he killed him, but he wanted to make sure. The pulse under his skin was beating fast, but not to a worrying degree. Nate sighed.

"That is fucking _it!" _Charlie's voice suddenly coming from behind him startled Nate. He turned. Her face was red. "I want to know what you two are hiding from me right now! No more lies, no more pretty eyes bullshit! I wanna know _now!"_ Nate didn't respond right away. He turned Vaughan onto his back. The younger man somehow kept that horrified, wide-eyed look even with his eyes closed.

"_Nate!"_ Charlie screeched.

**| He has cancer |**  
| He'll tell you |  
| Why should we? |  
| … |

"He has cancer." Nate said quietly.

"…What?" Charlie almost sounded sorry that she asked.

"He has a tumour in his brain Charlie." Nate's mouth felt dry. "I shouldn't have hit him in the head…" No one talked for a while after that. Crickets chirped in the background. Nate thought that it was so out of place for the situation they were in. When Charlie spoke up, her voice was low and firm.

"We're not leaving him." Charlie said. "We're not. He's _mine_." She glared at Nate, daring him to argue with her. He didn't. Vaughan shifted on the ground. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes.

"Hey Vee." Nate said. "You okay man?" He grabbed Vaughan's shoulders and helped him to a sitting position. Vaughan looked around, momentarily lost in his own head, before becoming slowly more aware of his surroundings.

"We didn't find any medication… I put the two of you in danger and a baby died because of me…" A flash of horror past Vaughan's face. He stared at Nate. "I attacked you just now. Oh my God, I'm sorr-"

"Vaughan!" Charlie snarled. "When were you gonna tell _me_ you had cancer!?" His body tensed as he rose. He began to stutter in Japanese. Nate assumed he was trying to explain himself, trying to apologize for not telling her sooner and getting sick in the first place. Charlie screamed back at him, also in Japanese, and slapped him across the face. Nate got off the ground. He walked away from the furious, hysterical woman and the fainthearted, remorseful man.

He found Vaughan's glasses, picked them up, and looked up at the sky. The stars were still so beautiful, even after everything had gone to shit. He found himself wishing he were up there; suffocating from the lack of oxygen, in pain from the pressure of space destroying his insides, with the stars and far away from this hellhole.

"God, I need a drink." Nate said.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
What Makes Alcoholics  
—


	3. Hatred Of Thieves

_This game series adapts to the choices you make._

_The story is tailored by how you play._

TELLTALE GAMES

presents

in association with

SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT

Red, yellow, blue, and white petals atop of green stems flooded Nate's vision. The soft breeze made them sway back and forth like lazy, skirt less hula girls. He barely felt their movements, though the ones directly around him kept brushing his body. The air was perfumed with the scent of sweet and musky roses, which was odd since none of the flowers were roses. Maybe it only smelt that way because their collective scent was weak, so much so that it seemed like his nose was picking the smell up from far away. All of his senses felt distanced from his body the longer he laid there.

Nate recognized the flowers from the small memorial he'd seen on Vaughan's street a little over five weeks ago, the one for the victim of a hit-and-run. Vaughan told him that he hoped no more violence would come to his neighbourhood. Now they lived in a world where they could only wish for the simple days of random hit-and-runs.

Nate lifted himself off the ground. He was standing in an endless field of flowers. The field met the pinkish afternoon sky with no disruption, with the sole exception of a building to Nate's right.

**(o) Look at building**

"…I feel sick." Nate's voice was a low, nauseated grumble. The vocal outburst; brought about by a stomach cramp and the overwhelming sadness that started in his brain and leaked down into his chest; was mindlessly expelled from him. Nate clamped his lips together to keep both bile and any more words from exiting his mouth. To his knowledge, he was the only person in this peaceful yet desolate world. Yet he still wanted to keep something, whatever that something was, from finding out that he was in the plain.

Nate shook his head. As puzzling as the negative reaction he had to the building was, it was useless to ponder over it. It wasn't important. Charlie and Vaughan were off somewhere and he needed to find them.

Nate turned his back to the building. A hoard of psychos greeted him. He froze. There were hundreds of them; twitching, drooling, and groaning in makeshift harmony. A flash of thought, panicked and unbelieving, raced through his mind as he wondered how the hell so many were able to sneak up on him.

Then he spun towards the building and ran.

**/!\ Get away from the hoard!**

The hoard chased after him. Their groans grew louder and more furious with every stride Nate took. He reached for his gun in the back of his pants, pulled it out, and shot at the psychos.

**(o) (o) (o) (o) (o)**

Streams of blood jetted from the heads of the creatures he managed to hit. Aiming was difficult, angling his body to shoot at the hoard while he sprinted away made his arm shake too much, but keeping distance between the psychos and himself was worth the bad aim. At the speed Nate was running, he could get into the building and create a barricade before-

A hand, so cold that he felt the chill through his jeans, grabbed Nate's ankle mid stride and yanked down. He screamed as he was forced face first into the ground. Far off pain sprinkled his chest and face. Recovering from the fall as quickly as he could, Nate turned on his side to look at the thing that grabbed him.

It was Anya. Her pale skin made the dark circles under her eyes pop out. Her hair, both the healthy parts and the strands around the bald spot, was crispy and frizzled like it had been burned. Blood trailed down the corners of her mouth and pooled around her stomach. No time was granted for Nate to properly react to this when Anya's bitter, furious voice rang out.

"You _murderer."_ She snarled. "I was scared. I thought he was bitten. I just wanted to protect everyone!" The grip on his ankle tightened.

| I didn't want that to happen |  
**| You were going to kill Vaughan |**  
| Get off of me now |  
| … |

"_You_ were going to get Vaughan _killed_, you stupid cunt!" Nate said. "Your death is your fault!" The hoard of psychos advanced. Anya roared.

**(o)**

Anya's face collapsed inward when Nate shot her. Chunks of brain matter gushed out of the back of her head. Her hand released its hold on him, falling limply to the ground like the rest of her body. She lay on the ground in the same position she had been in when she died over five weeks ago. Nate staggered to his feet. The distance between him and the psychos were shorter than it had been before. Nate darted off.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)**

Only one bullet missed its target during his second assault on them. Two pairs of cold hands seized both of his legs and pulled him down just as he was halfway to the building. Nate tried to shake them off. He freed himself long enough to turn on his back before the hands grabbed him again.

Guatier's and Hanna's eyes were greyed over and nearly bulging out of their sockets. Their skin was paler than Anya's had been. Blood seeped out of the wound on Guatier shoulder and mixed with the blood leaking out of his and his wife's stomachs.

"Why do you have no sympathy for us?" Guatier grieved. They pulled him closer to them.

"How could you murder us and feel nothing?" Hanna moaned. Their nails dug through his pants.

| I do feel something |  
**| Charlie killed you two |**  
| Don't touch me |  
| … |

"Charlie killed you both, not me!" Nate said. The smell of putrid flesh overpowered the flowers as the hoard drew near.

**(o)**

The force of the bullet knocked Hanna onto her back. Her body settled in the same position she was in when she died. Her wide eyes didn't close.

**(o)**

Nate pointed the gun at Guatier and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened.

"Shit!" He cried. The footsteps of the undead mob grew louder.

**(o)**

Nate raised his free leg and kicked Guatier in the face. He felt the older man's nose break and flatten under the heel of his foot. The man didn't let go.

**(o)**

Nate drew his foot back and kicked him again. The bones in the man's cheek dented inwards. He still didn't let go.

**(o)**

Guatier's teeth ripped from their places in his gums and flew into his mouth. The psychos were getting closer.

**(o)**

Nate drew his leg back and, channeling all his frantic strength, kicked Guatier in the forehead. Fragments of the man's skull impaled his brain. Guatier keeled over, a wet and painful gasp escaping him before he stilled. Nate yanked his leg from the dead man's limb grasp, got up and ran.

Stumbling on tired legs, panting hard, and refusing to look behind him, Nate sprinted the last hundred meters as fast as he could. The acceleration of his body did not allow for him to stop properly, making him slam against the building doors instead of halting in front of it. Nate ignored the dull pain in his chest. He pushed himself off the doors, grabbed the handles, and pulled. They wouldn't budge. Boards, decorated with chicken scratch writing, were nailed to the doors.

Please don't, they read.

"_No."_ Nate meant to sound stubborn but his voice came out weak and wobbling. He turned his back to the ugly boards with their awful words. The hoard was a few feet away. Nate jolted. He loathed the idea of going back in that damned hospital, but if he did then he'd be safe from the hoard. He knew he would. Grimacing, Nate darted to the broken window on his right and jumped through.

When his feet touched the other side, he was not in the hall with the map at the end as he should have been. He was standing in front of the pharmacy. Startled, Nate looked behind him, expecting to see the window looking out to the field of flowers and the living dead. The window was gone, replaced by the corridor that led to the store.

All of his senses, which had been clouded before, were now mercilessly heightened. The litter, the dusty counters, the stale air, the bloody floors, the hazardous darkness, and the stench of rotting flesh assaulted him. Everything in the hospital seemed more real and more oppressive than anything Nate went through since the apocalypse started, but this was just a dream. It _had_ to be a dream. He needed to wake up, and if he couldn't wake up then he needed to run. His legs shook, but his feet wouldn't move.

He pointed his flashlight that suddenly appeared in his hand at the pharmacy, waiting for the thing that he hoped he wouldn't see but knew he would. The beam of light trembled with the movement of his hand. The psycho emerging from the store intensified the tremors. The hospital gown it wore, already stained from past traumas, was now stained with a fresher blotch of red, originating from the bloody mess in its hands.

| Wake up |  
| Let her go |  
**| Stay away |**  
| … |

"_Stay away from me."_ Nate's shaking voice wouldn't go higher than a whisper. A chunk of meat fell out of the psycho's mouth as it smiled at him, showcasing broken teeth filled with fleshy food debris. Red drool trickled down its face and fell on the messy thing in its arms. The thing that used to be a baby.

Tendons hung from the shoulder where an arm had been. A chunk of flesh was taken out of the other arm. The lower torso of the baby had been completely devoured, splitting the infant into two halves. Her legs did not move since they no longer received any signals from the brain. Their disfigurement, which no amount of flexibility could rectify, made it impossible for them to be useful even if they were getting messages from the brain. The undead infant growled into the air, its arm reaching up to the ceiling as if trying to reach invisible prey. Its eyes rolled thickly in its head, focusing on everything at once.

_This baby's no good._ The delirious thought kept repeating in Nate's head. _This baby's no good, throw it out._ The adult psycho walked forward, strides more confident than any undead monster he'd seen. It stretched its arms toward Nate as if offering the infant as some macabre gift. The baby turned its head towards him and reached for him with its remaining arm.

Nate screamed.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Dreams Aren't Made Of These  
—

* * *

No song was playing in the CD player. The hum of the engine, the tires rolling across the pavement, and Vaughan's occasional hisses of pain were the only noises that were made in the truck. Nate's grip on the steering wheel cut off the circulation in his hands and made his knuckles go white. Little attention was paid to the scenery around him. His eyes where fixed on the road ahead. He had no destination in mind; anywhere far away from the nightmare he had was good enough.

The muscles in Vaughan's face tensed and twitched in his cupped hands as he waited for his migraine to go away. Vaughan groaned something in Japanese. Charlie muttered a reply to him, not turning from the window as she did so. Whatever she said caused Vaughan to frown at her through parted fingers, but he gave no retort. Slowly, the pain lessened. Vaughan sighed and leaned back into his seat. He took his glasses off his lap and placed them on his face.

"…Are you alright?" Vaughan asked after a slight rest from his migraine. Nate spared him a quick glance, unsure if he was being talked to, and looked away when he saw Vaughan was looking at him. "You look like you haven't slept."

| Worry about yourself |  
| I'm fine |  
**| Sleeping is stupid |**  
| … |

"I did sleep, it just looks like I didn't because sleep is stupid. Fuckin' hate it." Nate grumbled. "I ain't sleepin' again."

**(?) Charlie and Vaughan will remember that**

"…Okay." Vaughan said. "I'm just concerned. You've kind of been like this for two days now."

"Know what I found out two days ago?" Charlie spoke up. She pressed her back against the passenger's door and glared at Vaughan. "I found out that_ you_ had _cancer."_ Though the joints in his hands groaned in protest, Nate tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He also began grinding his teeth with the same amount of force.

Vaughan sighed, briefly pinching the bridge of his nose. "Charlie please-"

"I still can't believe that you didn't tell _me_ you were sick!" Charlie's face contorted into a nasty snarl as she talked to him. "I'm your girlfriend! Ya don't just hide shit like that from me!"

Vaughan ran his fingers through his hair. "I was going to tell-"

"You keep on sayin' that. _I was gonna tell you, I was gonna tell you."_ Charlie interrupted. "But more than a month passed and you still didn't say a goddamn word! _No one_ disrespects _me_ like that." She slapped his arm.

**| Shut the fuck up |**  
| You should have told her |  
| Don't be so hard on him |  
| … |

It had been nothing but arguments, both in English and Japanese, and tense silences for the past two days. Nate stayed out of them as best he could, distancing himself mentally when their physical proximity wouldn't allow for them to part from each other. But he had enough. He was sick of the fighting and the bad vibes that hooked into their brains and skin, making their minds blaze with disputes and muscles constantly taunt in expectation of them.

"_Shut the fuck up!"_ Nate screamed. Vaughan and Charlie flinched away from him. He pealed his eyes away from the road to scowl at them. "You two are so annoying with your bullshit! _Shut up!"_ Vaughan's shoulders dropped as he looked away from him. He stared at the window closest to Charlie.

**(?) Charlie and Vaughan will remember that**

"Oh fuck you Nate!" Charlie snapped after recovering from the initial shock of his screaming. "You knew about Vaughan being sick too and you didn't say anything to me either!"

"But you know _now_," Nate growled. "So shut the _fuck_ up!" If he drove the truck into a tree, could he somehow do it in a way that would eject both his irritating friends through the windshield while still making the truck drivable? At this point, he thought it would be worth the trouble to try.

"Or what? You gonna try to choke me again?" Charlie demanded. Vaughan slowly turned his head from the window and stared at Nate, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

"You _choked_ Charlie?" There were multiple layers of hurt and confusion in the younger man's voice. The signal from Nate's brain to his mouth wasn't fast enough, making the latter open before the former was able to tell it that he had neither the tolerance nor energy to explain himself to Vaughan. His mouth snapped shut. No longer giving a damn about crashing into something or swerving off the road, Nate pressed his forehead against the steering wheel and let out a loud sigh.

"God, I need a drink." A hint of desperation, subtle and low, was in Nate's voice.

"There are alcoholics in your family." Charlie said. "You-"

"Fuckin' shut up Charlie." Exhaustion replaced the anger that had been in his tone.

Charlie huffed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"…Y-you, um, shouldn't drive like that." Vaughan told him. Nate didn't need to look at him to know he was fidgeting nervously in place, but he glared at him from behind his arm anyways. Making eye contact with frustrated eyes made Vaughan look away and stare at his lap, still squirming. Nate sighed again and sat up.

Silence, awkward and unwelcomed, once again enveloped the truck. Not wanting to go through another hour of strained quiet, Nate reached for the play button on the CD player. His finger paused just as it was about to touch the button and start whatever he'd left in the player when Vaughan, distracted by something outside, completely turned his body around to stare at whatever was fading from view. Both Nate and Charlie stared at him as he slowly sat back in place.

"…We just passed someone with a box of alcohol." Vaughan said. Nate slowed the truck to a stop.

"You did?" Nate asked.

"Yeah." Vaughan said. "He just turned into a trail back there."

| And? |  
**| We could trade with them |**  
| Are you sure they're real? |  
| … |

"We could trade with'm. Get some alcohol that way." Nate said. He didn't ask for any details and he didn't need them. He was so desperate for a drink that it didn't occur to him that Vaughan might be hallucinating. Nate needed something to take the edge off and allow him to forget about psychopathy and nightmares and dead children. He turned the truck around and looked for the trail.

"We shouldn't do that." Charlie warned. "Food and supplies are more important than alcohol."

**| We're not giving everything away |**  
| More important than alcohol? |  
| That's true |  
| … |

"We ain't gonna give everything away." Nate said irritably. "Don't get your tubes tied up in a knot." He stopped the truck next to a wide dirt path. Vaughan didn't say anything so he assumed that it was the one the box of alcohol went through. With an indignant growl, Charlie opened her mouth to reply to Nate when Vaughan spoke up.

"We should get the alcohol." He said. It was the way Vaughan said it; a mischievous, edgy half laugh that clutched his words; which made Nate and Charlie stare at him with surprise.

| Two against one Charlie |  
| Then it's settled |  
**| Seriously? |**  
| … |

"Seriously?" Nate asked, arching an eyebrow at him. "You're agreeing with me? Thought ya be more _practical_ like Charles and agree with her." Something about his friend's laugh that followed his comment bothered Nate, but he didn't know why. Vaughan took off his glasses. He wiped them clean and gave Nate a sneaky sideways glance.

"Fuck yeah, I agree." Vaughan chimed. "We haven't had something to drink in a loooong time and let's face it, after all the shit we've been through we deserve to get wasted. If the guy is dangerous, we'll just beat him up right?" Vaughan put back on his glasses and flashed Nate a smile. If the words said hadn't unsettled him, the smile would've rectified that. It was so wrong that smile, Vaughan's face wasn't supposed to be capable of looking so malicious. Charlie was staring at her boyfriend like she'd never seen him before.

"Let's procure ourselves some alcohol!" Vaughan cheered. He took hold of his bow and bag of arrows, climbed over his girlfriend, opened the door, and went out. The two of them watched him go.

| What are we waiting for? |  
| He seems happy |  
**| Vaughan's acting weird |**  
| … |

"So… you noticed that he's actin' weird right?" Nate asked. "Like it ain't just me?"

"No… I noticed too." Charlie said.

"What the fuck? He wasn't acting like that a minute ago." Nate said. "And did he swear? The only time I've ever heard him swear was when he was learnin' to speak English, and even then it was only because I managed to trick him into doin' it."

"I don't think I've ever seen him act that way." Deep thought made Charlie's voice withdrawn. Nate shook his head and got out of the truck. Vaughan's odd personality change could be dealt with later. There was a bottle or two waiting for him and that was far more important.

* * *

Dirt crunched under the soles of their shoes. The manmade path laid flat against the bumpy foliage of the forest. Bugs whined in their ears, complaining about their small, insignificant lives in a language they couldn't understand but annoyed them regardless. A wave of the hand did little to deter the bugs, flying off to avoid the blow and returning moments later.

Vaughan led Nate and Charlie forward, tripping every so often on invisible obstacles and the spring in his step that vastly contrasted the solemn mood he had earlier. He, like Nate, carried a box of supplies in his arms. Charlie's hands were free due to her refusing to give any of their useful goods to exchange for alcohol. Her stubbornness irked Nate, but he made sure both he and Vaughan brought enough to make up for what Charlie wouldn't bring.

"What if these people are bandits?" Charlie grumbled.

"There's more than one guy now?" Nate asked.

"No one travels alone anymore." Charlie said. He could've done without the 'you're stupid' look she gave him as she said this. "He probably has a crew of bandana wearin' assholes with'm. If they're just a group of guys then that's fine, but if they're bandits then we're gonna be in a very worrying situation."

| We'll deal with it |  
| You never stop bitching do you? |  
**| You'll need to be careful |**  
| … |

"If they _are_ bandits then you'll need to be careful. They might try to take advantage of you." Nate told her.

**(?) Charlie noticed your concern**

"…I don't gotta worry 'bout shit." Charlie said after a short pause. "I can kick anyone's ass. 'Sides, bandits only force themselves on women, and apparently, I look like a _boy._ Don't smile you idiot." To her annoyance, Nate smiled anyways.

Vaughan stopped walking. Nate and Charlie followed suit. The path continued on into a clearing where a camp lay. Several tents were positioned around the clearing, a table rested close to where the three stood, and a fire with a pot positioned on top sat in the center of the were seven people in the area; talking to each other, sitting by the fire, reading, and taking turns drinking out of bottles of alcohol. Nate's attention was fixated on the bottles. He didn't take much notice of the people until Charlie hissed beside him.

"_Fuck,_ they're bandits." She said. Nate pealed his eyes from the bottles and looked at the men. The majority of them were bandana-wearing assholes. But that didn't necessarily mean… oh who was he kidding? They were fucking bandits.

"Well… shit." Nate sighed.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Well… Shit  
—

"Who the hell are they?" One of them asked. The group of men stopped what they were doing at the inquiry of their fellow bandit. Six heads slowly followed his gaze until they saw the three standing there. Charlie tensed. Vaughan didn't, which surprised Nate.

**| We just want to trade |**  
| How are you doing? |  
| [Run] |  
| … |

"We don't want no trouble." Nate said. "We're just lookin' for a trade." He would've raised his hands in the air if it weren't for the box he was holding. A few of the bandits looked at a man who Nate assumed was the leader of the group. He decided to direct his comments to him. "So if you could just-"

"Kill them." The offhanded way the leader said this made Nate not realize the gravity of what was said at first.

"…What?" Nate didn't have time to dwell on the sudden, cold sentence they were given. Three of the masked men advanced towards them. The others looked for their crossbows. Nate dropped his box, pulled out his gun, and shot one of them in the chest. The bandit screamed, clutching his chest as he fell.

"Run!" Nate screamed. He turned and bolted back up the trail without looking to see if Charlie and Vaughan would follow. He heard another box drop and four pairs of feet follow after him.

"Motherfuckers!" The leader screamed. "_Get them!"_ A blur of green and brown flew past Nate as his legs kicked hard off the ground in their effort to bring him back to the main road. The rowdy cries of the bandits grew louder, overpowering his panting breath. Arrows whooshed passed his body. He nearly face planted after one went between his legs. For a horrible moment he thought he was back in his dream with the hoard of psychos and the field of flowers, only the flowers were trees and the psychos had pulses and screamed 'ya'll gonna die assholes!' while they shot projectiles at him.

"We won't make it to the truck! We have to confront them!" Charlie's shout snapped him out of his alarm.

"Damn it!" Nate said, partly out of breath. He dove behind a tree. Charlie whipped herself around another one to his left. Vaughan, almost tripping over his feet, went to the tree to Nate's right. The bandits advanced.

"We have to keep movin' and keep cover!" Nate ordered. Vaughan and Charlie nodded.

| Go! |  
| Vaughan you have to kill them! |  
**| Be careful Charlie! |**  
| … |

"Charlie, you don't got a gun, so be careful!" Nate said.

**(?) Charlie noticed your concern**

"Yeah, I know." She responded impatiently. Nate dug his nails into the bark and aimed his gun at the hoard of men.

"Go!" He yelled.

**/!\ Kill the bandits! Use the directional buttons to hide behind trees and protect yourself from enemy fire!**

Nate ground his teeth together and fired.

**(o)(o)(o)**

A bandit directly in front of him flew backwards when the bullet hit his head. The other two shots missed his next target, a man to his right. Vaughan and Charlie spread out and away from him.

Nate moved to his left. Two arrows zoomed passed his head.

He moved to another tree. More arrows missed him. Charlie stabbed one of the bandits as he passed by her tree. Vaughan shot two in the shoulder and was aiming to shoot another one. Nate looked away from them and aimed.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)**

Nate shot the two that had been hit by Vaughan's arrows.

"There's two left!" Nate cried. Nate's cry made the leader's charge falter. Before the leader ducked behind a tree, Nate could see him look around wide eyed, as if he hadn't realized until that moment that almost all his men were dead. The last of his crew ran toward him, but before the man got close, the leader met him half way, seized his arm, and dragged him speeding back to the camp. Nate chased them, pushing his body off any trees in his way. Charlie called after him. He didn't hear it. His mind burned. Like hell they were going to get away after they tried to kill the three of them.

**(o)**

He shot the leader in the back just as the bandit was a few feet away from the clearing. The man released his hold on the other bandit and collapsed face first on the dirt path. A bloom of red stuck his torn shirt onto his skin. The leader struggled to his hands and knees. He tried to crawl back to the camp, swearing and panting heavily.

Nate slammed his foot on his back when he reached him. The side of the leader's face was forced against the grass and dirt.

"Don't you fucking _dare_ shoot me!" Spit flew out of the leader's mouth. "Don't you fucking da-"

**(o)**

Blood, brains, and skull fragments gushed out of the man's head. His legs and arms moved in an erratic death dance. Nate pressed more weight down. The body still spasmed.

**(o)**

"Fuck you." He snarled.

**(o)**

"Fuck you."

**(o)**

"_Fuck you!"_ Nate knew that the man was already dead. He knew that it was only the nerves firing around in the body that was making it jerk around. None of that knowledge helped him release the trigger.

"Stop-"

**(o)**

"Fucking-"

**(o)**

"_-Moving!"_

**(o)(o)(o)**

A scream made him pause. The cry, now muffled groans, had come from the last bandit Vaughan was now kneeling on. When had Vaughan past him? Nate looked back down at the hole filled body. The last sparks of muscle activity twitched the fingers in a bashful goodbye. Nate stepped on the dead man as he walked towards Vaughan and the bandit.

His friend had one leg bend on top of the bandit's chest and the other on the ground beside him. An arrow he held in his left hand swayed back and forth in front of the bandit's eye. His other hand covered the bandit's mouth. Gleeful sadism swam in his eyes. The man beneath Vaughan seemed strong enough to push him off, but fear fixed him in place.

| Take out both his eyes |  
| What are you doing? |  
| Get off of him |  
**| … |**

The combination of his lack of concern for the bandit and curiosity mixed with general unease over Vaughan's actions made Nate continue to stand where he was, watching the both of them. He'd step in if the bandit tried anything, but for the first time in a while, Nate thought Vaughan would be able to handle himself.

"It wouldn't be hard to take your eye out." Vaughan almost sang the words. "I could stab the arrow in, twist, and pull it out. _Pop!"_ He giggled at the bandit's stifled pleas. The thief shook his head, tears forming in the corners of his wide eyes.

| Stop Vaughan |  
| Leave him alone |  
| Do it already |  
**| … |**

Nate waited. Vaughan raised the arrow. The bandit struggled beneath him. Vaughan froze. The sadistic tint left his eyes. The smile fell from the younger man's face.

"…Oh my God." Horror grew in his voice. The malevolence was gone. The arrow slipped from his fingers. "O-oh my God. I am… I-I'm so sorry, I-" He moved his leg off the bandit. The man underneath him jerked. Nate thought he would grab for the arrow, but the bandit only pushed himself away from Vaughan and bolted. Nate pointed his gun at the fleeing bandit and pulled the trigger. The gun clicked.

"Shit." Nate grunted. The bandit ran into the woods and out of sight.

"Nate." Charlie said as she entered the clearing. Nate looked at her. "The only reason why I'm not incredibly pissed off at you right now is because I believe finding this camp was worth dodging some arrows. Bandits rob people all the time, I'm sure we're standing in front of some very useful shit. _But_," She stood close to Nate now, glaring up at him. "If it turns out I'm wrong, I will fucking kill you for putting us in danger _again."_

**| No you won't |**  
| We're going to find lots of stuff |  
| Don't threaten me |  
| … |

"You're not killing shit." Nate said, frowning back at her.

"Don't test me." Charlie retorted. "Now let's get the supplies and get out." She purposely bumped into his shoulder as she passed him and made her way to the table. Fucking _bitch._ If his hands hadn't pussied out on him for God knows what reason, she would've been fucking dead already. He glowered at her as she went to Vaughan. They had a quick conversation in Japanese before she continued her way to the table. Vaughan cupped his face in his hands.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

The sounds of his hard, shaky breath echoed dully off his palms. He slid his hands down his face when he heard Nate getting closer.

"H-hi." Vaughan said. The corners of his mouth rose up in an attempt to smile. After a moment they twitched back down.

| That was different |  
| Are you all right? |  
**| Hi |**  
| … |

"Hi." Nate replied. Vaughan tried to smile again.

"A-about what just happened…" Vaughan said. "I-I don't, um… I mean…" He wrapped an arm around himself.

**| Just tell me |**  
| I don't care why it happened |  
| You don't have to tell me |  
| … |

"C'mon Chopsticks, spit it out." Nate said. Vaughan inhaled, held it, and let the air out in a low hiss.

"I-I don't understand! O-one minute I was f-fine and- and then…" He took off his glasses and ran a hand through his hair.

"Didja blackout?" Nate asked. Vaughan shook his head.

"N-no, I didn't. I was fully aware of what I was doing. I just didn't _care." _He told him. That got an eyebrow raise from Nate. "I-I… I-I d-don't know why I acted like that…"

| That doesn't seem so bad |  
**| It's mood swings |**  
| Maybe it was a one-time thing |  
| … |

"…Sooooo you're having mood swings then." Nate suggested. "Ain't that another symptom of brain cancer?"

"…It is." Vaughan said after a pause. "But… I-I don't think you can call what happened a mood swing. Normal mood swings is going from being sad to happy. I was going to _gorge_ that man's eye out! I even _laughed_ about it!" Vaughan's glasses trembled in his hand. He bit his lip, watery eyes staring at Nate.

"M-maybe you're right," Vaughan continued. His voice was thick with fear and wavered. "Maybe I acted like that because I'm sick. But what if it isn't the cancer? What if the apocalypse is making me _lose my mind?"_

| Then you won't be alone |  
**| It's the cancer |**  
| We can't stop the apocalypse |  
| … |

"It's the cancer." Nate told him. It _had_ to be the cancer. Tumours could be removed. This bullshit apocalypse might never end.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that**

"Maybe." Vaughan said hesitantly. He looked away, eyes downcast.

"…Let's just look for supplies." Nate sighed. Vaughan nodded. He placed his glasses back on and made his way to one of the tents.

Nate turned his face up to the sky and frowned at the clouds. Charlie was completely ruthless and cold, he was probably a psychopath, and now the cancer was fucking up Vaughan's head.

"I wonder how long it'll take before we kill each other." Nate murmured to himself. He looked back at the camp and walked forward.

**(o) Look at boxes**

Most of the boxes piled around the camp were closed. The few that were opened had an assortment of supplies in them. Nate picked up a can from one of the boxes and shook it. It was full.

"All these boxes make it look like they were getting ready to leave." Vaughan said from the tent.

"They didn't look like they were packing up when we got here." Nate told him.

"Maybe they were taking a break?" Vaughan suggested. Nate shrugged.

**(o) Look at pot**

Nate heard boiling. He picked up a stick and used it to knock over the lid.

"It's just water." Nate said after looking inside. "Probably tryin' to purify it or make soup. I haven't had hot soup in a long time…"

**(o) Look at table**

Nate walked to the table. More boxes were stacked on top of it. Nate was about to look through them when a loud noise startled him. He jumped back. Charlie had activated a propane torch. She looked at the blue flame escaping from the top with an intense expression that didn't match what she was doing before turning it off and placing it back on the table.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

Charlie kept her eyes on the table.

**| There's supplies here |**  
| About blanking out… |  
| Vaughan's back to normal |  
| Exit |

"There are a lot of useful things here." Nate said.

"So it seems." Charlie replied. Her tone was flat but at least she was trying to be civil.

**| About blanking out… |**  
| Vaughan's back to normal |  
| Exit |

"So…" Nate almost didn't want to ask, the numb curiosity he once had now turned to a mild disquiet over the subject, but it had been bothering him for a while. "Y'know how I kind of blanked out a few days ago?"

"What about it?" A barely noticeable tenseness came over Charlie but she tried to play it off as irritation.

"Did that ever happen before?" Nate asked.

"…It did. After the bullshit with the casket." She said.

"When did I snap out of it?" Nate thought he knew when, but he asked her just to make sure.

"When you were at my place, just before I slept with you." She said. Nate rubbed his forehead. It was possible for him to make a more specific frame of reference for how long he'd been out of it, except that would've involved _thinking_ too long about that day. So instead, Nate skimmed through that scarification of memory and decided that, because it had been mid-day when the casket fell and dark out when Charlie's words finally broke through to him, he'd been brain dead for about eight hours.

"Y'know that overused saying, 'your eyes are the window to your soul' or some shit?" Charlie continued. "Can't say if that's true for everyone, but it's true for you. So when you blank out like that, it's really fucking creepy because your eyes look _dead."_

**| Have a thing for guys with dead eyes? |**  
| I didn't know that |  
| Were you scared of me? |  
| … |

"That's why you slept with me?" Nate asked. "Like guys with dead eyes?"

"No idiot." Charlie murmured. "I wanted you to stop being sad, you ungrateful piece of shit."

"…You sure ya don't have a thing for dead dudes?" Nate asked after a pause. Charlie smacked him hard on the arm.

"Shut up." She growled. "Fuckin' two years of my life…"

"What?" Nate asked.

"Nothin'." Charlie said. Nate didn't like where the conversation was going, so he let her comment drop.

**| Vaughan's back to normal |**  
| Exit |

"Vaughan's back to normal." He said.

"I know. I talked to him." She said. "Thank fucking God for that."

**| Exit |**

Nate walked around to the side of the table and stopped when a dress caught his eye.

**(o) Look at dress**

It had been white at one point, now the cleanest parts of the dress were a dull brown. Patches of caked dirt and drying blood, many in the shape of handprints, covered the dress in erratic patterns. A part of him tried to hold on to the first thought that came to mind; the bandits had a weird, unhygienic, cross dressing orgy; but there would've been more dresses laying around if that were the case and he knew better than to believe that. A woman was raped. Maybe she had been kidnaped, or the camp was hers before the bandits overtook it, but she was raped and the dress belonged to her.

Knowing this did not distress Nate. Of course he knew rape was awful and that the bandits were evil bastards for doing it, but that was all. There was no urge to kill them a second time and aside from a twinge of sadness felt for the girl, Nate was mostly indifferent. It didn't matter that she might've been a virgin, or that they probably took multiple turns on her, or that the abuse might've killed her it they didn't personally do it themselves.

And _that_ gave him an intense amount of guilt. Nate didn't understand how he could feel bad for not feeling bad. Why couldn't he transfer his emotions to their proper place so he could react to things like a normal human being?

"You know, if you dressed more like a chick people wouldn't mistake you for a dude." Directing this question at Charlie in context of what he just saw was highly inappropriate, not that she would know. But asking her this distanced himself from the crime the dress declared and the mental illness he saw reflecting back at him through the vile handprints.

"Do you know that if you weren't an irritating dick people wouldn't be planning to murder you in your sleep?" Charlie mimicked his tone with artificial lightness. "Fuck off Nate." Not wanting to be near the dress anymore, Nate fucked off. Vaughan didn't look like he was doing anything at the moment, standing idly next to a tent, so Nate made his way to him.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

"Find anything Vee?" Nate asked.

"Yeah…" Vaughan didn't feel the need to elaborate however. Sad, tired eyes glued their gaze to the trampled grass below their feet. "When my…"

"Hm? When your what?" Nate asked.

"W-when… when my mother got sick and she refused to go to the hospital, I had to take care of her because no one else would." Vaughan said. "I was fine at first, but… I-I, um, I got mean after a while. I was bitter and short-tempered and angry all the time. Partly because I got pretty burnt out, but it was all the stuff I had to go through to take care of her too. I had to clean her after she'd… soiled herself, and I had to suffer through her mental deterioration. She'd call me horrible names and scream at things that weren't there."

"And I know it wasn't her fault, she could help being sick and afraid, but I… I ended up hating her so much. I-I mean, how aw-awful is that? Hating your own ill mother? Wanting her to… t-to…" Vaughan bit down on his lower lip.

| You're different now |  
| It doesn't matter what you did before |  
| I can't imagine you being mean |  
**| … |**

There was nothing Nate could say that wouldn't sound meaningless or dismissive to him. Not that Nate knew what to say anyways.

"Everything I've done, every choice I've made, was always aligned in relation to having good morals." Vaughan continued. "I was a good person before, and after she died and I realized how terrible I'd been, I swore I'd never act like that again. I tried to be good… but I-I almost g-gorged a man's eye out…" _What if the apocalypse is making me lose my mind?_ What a question. What a very scary question, and not one easily swept aside. It explained where all this talk about his mother came from. Of course he'd still be concerned, especially if he had been hostile in one point of his life as he claimed.

**| The cancer made you do it |**  
| They deserved it |  
| Don't talk about this |  
| … |

"_You_ never tried to turn an asshole's eyeball into soup man." Nate told him. "The _cancer_ did."

Vaughan frowned. "But-"

"No, no buts." Nate cut him off. "It ain't you. Not the real you anyways. The real you is as peaceful as Gandhi's and Martin Luther King Jr.'s gay love child." There was a confused pause before Vaughan broke out in short, amused laughter. The younger man hadn't laughed in days. None of them had.

"_What?"_ Vaughan giggled.

Nate smiled. "You heard me."

"Oh my _god_ Nate." Vaughan let out a few more chuckles before sighing. "I haven't checked all the tents yet, so I'm sure there's more stuff for us to find."

Nate nodded. "Okay."

**(o) Look at alcohol**

A dozen bottles, standing in rows of four with kitsch pride, were held in a box next to the tent. Nate smiled.

"Fucking finally." He said.

**(o) Drink alcohol**

Nate pulled one of the bottles from out of the box.

"Parsons' whiskey." He read. It looked cheap, just like the kind his mother drank. It was probably a dull, shit-rubbed golden brown that looked like cola to kids too young to know better. Sprawled on the couch, murmuring slurred French in her sleep, the two little boys took their unconscious parent and the unguarded, half-empty glass as the perfect opportunity to finally try the forbidden drink. Deaf to Casey's hushed complaints, Nate used his older brother rights and the privilege of being a mature ten year old in order to be the first one to try the soda.

Braving the tense atmosphere created by the possibility of their mother's eyes opening, the smallest, whitest ninjas tiptoed across the living room. They avoided the dangerous obstacles of discarded magazines, toys, and chip bags as they slowly made their way to the old wooded side table where the glass of soda and the fancy bottle it came from rested. Finally making it to the table, Nate took the bottle and Casey took the cup before they went back into the kitchen like nimble rabbits.

"Tell me how it tastes okay?" Vaughan said in the present and Casey had said in the past. Nate told his brother to stop talking so loud- it was like he wanted Ma to wake up, stupid- and tipped the glass to his lips. If he'd taken the time to savour the drink, his mouth would've sounded the alarm that no, this wasn't soda. It was a potent, liquid fire.

Adult Nate allowed the liquor to ease down his throat. It tasted like someone made it seep in shit and tar but he wasn't expecting it to taste great anyways. The whiskey had mercy on him for two seconds before it turned into a fist of molten lava and punched him in the esophagus.

"Fuck!" Nate cried through the breaks in his violent coughing fit. He nearly dropped the bottle as he hunched over and waited for the whiskey to stop assaulting his insides. Vaughan looked alarmed. Casey had been hysterical. As his brother coughed, choked, threw up, coughed, and threw up again, the poor seven year old thought Nate was going to die. Their father, awoken by Casey's wailing, stormed down the stairs and demanded to know why his two idiot children were making noise like a bunch of retards when they fucking knew he was trying to get some fucking sleep.

Casey tried to explain that Nate was dying Pa and he had to drive him to the hospital now Pa. Their father had smacked him; once for continuing to act like a goddamn invalid- because he should have more common sense than that boy, he ain't gonna die- and another for crying. Only girls and faggots cried. Their father had the common courtesy to wait until Nate caught his breath before also giving him a few good smacks for drinking alcohol, when he _knew_ he ain't allowed to do that, and for throwing up on the floor. Their mother slept through the entire thing. Nate never drank whiskey again until he murdered a couple of bandits.

"Are you okay?" Casey had asked in the past and Vaughan asked in the present. It came out slightly different both times, since one had been trying to sound older than he was and keep from crying, while the other was worried without the added stress of a death scare. Nate wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and nodded at the younger man. Vaughan looked less concerned when Nate straightened back out again.

"It has a kick," Nate strained out. "Like deep-throatin' a foot is a kick. Holy _crap."_

"So it's bad?" Vaughan asked.

"No, no, it's perfect." Nate said. "We're takin' all of it." Bad memories or not, alcohol was alcohol and he needed to drink. Vaughan looked apprehensive but didn't argue. Nate screwed the lid on the bottle and put the whiskey back into the box. He looked at the tent across from him and walked towards it.

**(o) Open tent**

Nate stepped inside. The subdued stench of sweat greeted him. Other than clothes, sleeping bags, and blankets, there seemed to be nothing of value. Then he saw the book.

**(o) Look at book**

It sat on top of a sleeping bag. Sections of the leather casing peeled away to reveal the dull hard cover underneath. Half of the spine was gone. Stray pages stuck out the edges of the book.

"Should I take it?" He asked himself. "It doesn't look very useful."

**(o) Take book**

"Fuck it." He said. It was reading material if nothing else. Nate didn't read much before the apocalypse, but the pursuit of freeing one's self from boredom made him do many things he didn't normally do before. He bent over, put it in his jacket pocket, and left the tent.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Take All Their Stuff  
—

* * *

The whiskey made the tolerable temperature outside uncomfortable by a few degrees. Heat from the sunlight beat itself down on Nate with less gentleness than what it graced Vaughan's sensitive eyes. He marked locating a pool or lake as their next destination now that they finished placing all the camp supplies in the back of the truck.

It was hard for him to believe that he had become so anxious; he hadn't been stress-prone before the apocalypse and until recently, other than worries of his mental health, he had taken everything in stride. Now he was constantly on edge. Charlie and Vaughan had no idea how bad it was, even if they could see he was tense. Taking another swig of whiskey, he briefly wondered if it was worth becoming an alcoholic if it meant he would be calm.

But no. He'd seen how much of a useless sack of crap his mother had been because she couldn't control her thirst, and how much distain his piece of shit father had for her because of it. He didn't want to be like her. He _wasn't_ going to be like her. Self-control, though not actively practiced by him, was not a concept lost to him. He could drink as much as he wanted and not get hooked. He'd be _fine._

Nate moved the bottle from his mouth and coughed. The whiskey was proving to be a bitch to get used to, and from his vast experience in dealing with bitches, he knew he would either conquer it or get his ass kicked.

"How bad are your dreams?" Vaughan asked. He stood next to him, fingers fidgeting on the side of the trunk.

"Wha…?" Nate's voice was a bit strained from the coughing fit.

"Ever since…" Vaughan paused. "Um, for two days now you've been sleeping outside instead of in the truck. A-and that's fine, but… sometimes in the middle of the night I hear you making noises in your sleep. You sound like you're in pain. And last night I heard you scream. You said that you slept, so…" Vaughan trailed off, unsure of how to continue his train of thought. Charlie turned from the supplies and looked at Nate with mild interest.

| Don't worry about me |  
| Stop listening to me when I sleep |  
**| [Lie] Its not nightmares I'm having |**  
| … |

"It's not _nightmares_ I'm havin'." Nate's voice was purposefully suggestive when he lied. He thought he could hear Charlie's eyes rolling as she walked back to the truck. Vaughan showed his momentary confusion with a short tilt of the head. Understanding came to him a few seconds later. A light blush went over his face as his eyes widened.

"Oh. Um, o-okay." Vaughan said. It must've been a Japanese thing. It was the only way Nate could explain how someone only three years younger than him, _and _getting action semi-regularly since the apocalypse started, could be so ill at ease when anything sex related popped up in conversation. Charlie was technically Japanese too, but she was only half of one and moved to America when she was three or something, so in his mind she didn't count.

Vaughan stayed near the back, recovering from the embarrassing 'confession', when Nate and Charlie went inside the truck. Putting the keys into the ignition, a sudden flash of words past through his mind. Drive off. Drive off before Vaughan could enter the truck. Not that Nate would abandon him; just make him sweat a little. It'd be amusing to see the look on Vaughan's face, and it'd postpose the inevitable, suffocating, tense air that would blow itself into his truck.

Vaughan walked toward the passenger door.

| Wait |  
**| Drive |**

Before Vaughan touched the handle, Nate slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The tires screeched against the pavement. Charlie jerked in her seat. Vaughan flung his hand away from the door in surprise. The truck sped off. Charlie turned her whole body towards the back windshield and watched her startled boyfriend get smaller the farther they went.

"Nate!?" Charlie shrieked. _"The fuck are you doing!?"_ If Nate hadn't stopped the truck then, Charlie would've lunged at him. Ignoring her wide and furious eyes, Nate wound the window down and poked his head out. Even from this distance, he could still see Vaughan's expression of dumb horror on his face.

"Nate," Charlie growled. "If you leave my boyfriend I'll-"

"_Relax."_ He said. Taking the book out of his jacket and tossing it into her lap, Nate flicked the CD player on and blasted Queen Of Pain by The Cramps. Charlie made a startled noise when it landed on her. "I'm just havin' some _fun." _Calling out to Vaughan he said, "Ya better get to the truck before the psychos claw your ass!"

Vaughan turned quickly around. The undead were walking towards him, rotting arms outstretched in preparation to claw his ass. Vaughan ran, stumbling every few feet.

| Wait |  
**| Drive |**

Nate drove another fifteen feet before Vaughan was able to reach the door.

"You're an asshole." Charlie said.

"Hell yeah I'm an asshole." Nate replied. "Wanna lick me out?"

"No." Was Charlie's flat answer. She opened the book and began reading through it with the calmness of someone who didn't have a boyfriend frantically trying to get away from undead monsters.

Nate stuck his head out the window again. "Hey Vau- Oh shit." Vaughan was bent over, gasping for air, hands on his knees and not running away from the psychos who were advancing on him. Nate reversed. A psycho's leg broke when the bumper of his truck hit it and knocked it over. Nate opened the door, grabbed a handful of Vaughan shirt, and pulled the younger man in. Vaughan let out a surprised squeak as he was placed over Charlie and Nate's legs.

"Enjoy the jog?" Nate asked after he closed the door. Vaughan let out a croaking noise in between his gasps for air that sounded like 'why'. Nate smiled and drove off.

* * *

The aged stone woman on top of the fountain was covered in dried shit. She held an ancient Roman style wine jug, to match her ancient Roman style clothing, which she poured out invisible water into the fountain below, looking elegant despite decorations generously given to her by birds' asses.

The water at the bottom of the fountain was free of feces as far as Nate could see, but it looked no less dirty. Litter, leaves, and pieces of clothing added to the unappealing nature of the cloudy water, but Nate supposed he wasn't any cleaner. He only wanted to cool himself down anyways. Whiskey was great, throat-kicking tendencies aside, but it heated him up like a bitch. And not the frisky, gonna-give-you-a-lap-dance kind of bitch either. More like the "I'm gonna lock you out of the house and make you wait outside in 86 degree weather because I'm pissed off at you" kind of bitch.

He stepped into the pool and laid himself down. Resting his head on a part of the base that wasn't covered in filth, his hazy mind wondered where all the maintenance workers had gone. What lazy assholes, not cleaning up the place during the apocalypse.

"Why did we stop?" Vaughan asked. Nate looked up at him. Whenever the younger man wasn't looking at the truck and around the park, he was frowning down at him.

**| I was hot |**  
| We'll leave soon |  
| [Mimic] Why did we stop? |  
| … |

"I was hot." Nate said. "I saw the fountain and I thought, 'Wow! There's a place to cool off'. So I stopped and I'm here in the water now." He paused, then pointed to the statue above him. "She's hot. I'd do her if she weren't fuckin' gross. I mean _some people_ ain't putting out no more but I still ain't into shit… pun totally intended." The drunken laugh proceeding the joke came out of the bottom of his throat and chopped out of his mouth. Vaughan took off his glasses, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and huffed.

"Nate, how drunk are you right now?" Vaughan asked.

| Not as much as I want to be |  
**| A little drunk |**  
| Are you my mom? |  
| … |

"I'll be honest with ya." Nate slurred. "I'm _a little bit_ drunk. Just a teeny tiny bit. Like George Shrinks drunk, or Stuart Little drunk." Did that make sense? No, it probably didn't. Not that Nate cared.

**(?) Vaughan is annoyed with you**

"I can't believe this." Vaughan sighed peevishly. He put back on his glasses and stretched a hand towards Nate. Nate high fived him. Vaughan sighed again and wiped the water off his hand.

"We can't stay here. I saw a man with a walkie-talkie leave from under the truck and run off. I think he might have been a bandit." Vaughan said. Nate looked past the truck, expecting to see a man running off into the distance. He didn't. "Get out of the fountain and give Charlie your keys." Vaughan waved the fingers in his hands, expecting Nate to hand them over right away.

**| You're hallucinating again |**  
| I'm not giving you the keys |  
| Let's stay here a while longer |  
| … |

"You're hallucinating again." Nate told him. Vaughan tried to protest but he continued. "I know we didn't drive that far away, but a bandit couldn't have held on to the bottom of the truck for so long. 'Sides, we killed'm all." Vaughan let his arm fall to his side.

"_You two_ killed them all." Vaughan grumbled, unsure and low. "_I_ didn't kill anybody." He looked around the park again. Charlie stepped out of the truck. Her head was down, inspecting the pages of the book as she neared the two men.

"Vaughan." She said slowly. "I think we can find you a doctor."

"…What?" All irritation in Vaughan's voice was replaced with surprise. "本当に?" He went beside Charlie and tried to grab the book.

"はい, はい!" She snapped, moving the book out of his reach. "This journal mentions a doctor community." Nate got out of the fountain and walked to them. Charlie moved the book away from Nate when he leaned close to her. "You're going to get the pages wet!" She told him. Nate raised his hands, gave her a faux apologetic drunk smile, and leaned back.

"Here," She pointed to the paragraph in question and began reading. "Johnny's been fucking sick for a week now. He hasn't been chomped, we checked him and made sure, but he looks God-awful. I think he has the black plague or some shit. We were thinking about offing him 'cause we can't have no burdens or nothing. Dan says we should take care of him but we all told Dan to fuck off."

"Then this guy, whose an even bigger twink than fucking Dan, comes out of nowhere and asks us if we got any sick people. We were gonna blow his fucking head off. I mean who the shit just asks people if they got any sick with them? Well, the guy gets nervous and starts explaining himself. Apparently he's from some sort of doctor camp and they want to get sick people and make them well so they have a better chance to survive the apocalypse."

"Now boss-man wouldn't let me ask any questions, but I have a lot of fucking questions. How did all the doctors find each other? How did they find all the things they needed, like beds or tents or fucking meds and medical equipment or food to feed everyone? How are they running the place? Why the fuck are they still doing their jobs when the world's gone to shit!? If I were a doctor I wouldn't let no one fucking know!"

"They are doing one thing properly though. The guy said that they're not taking just _anybody_ in. You have to have a pass to go. The guy gave the pass to boss-man and I have no idea where he put it, but now we have to pack all our stuff. Apparently we're all going to go to the doctor camp. I think he should take it over and make the doctors work for him, but what do I know? I'm just a stupid moron, right?"

Charlie closed the book. For the second time that day, Vaughan's eyes were watery, but his body had relaxed completely and he was beaming.

"I can get help." Vaughan said, his voice soft and light. He let out the most relieved laugh Nate had ever heard. "I can get help."

"You need a ticket though." Charlie reminded him. "They're ain't gonna to help you if ya go to them empty handed."

**| We'll get the ticket |**  
| Charlie's right |  
| What if it's a trap |  
| … |

"We-" Nate started, and then an arrow nearly killed him. The projectile brushed past his cheek, moving fast enough to hurt without breaking the skin, before hitting the statue and bouncing off. The three of them spun around. Five bandits surrounded them, crossbows pointed at the trio, their bicycles discarded a few meters behind the truck.

"How did you miss!? Your aim fucking sucks!" One of the bandits screamed at the other. He had a walkie-talkie attached to his pants.

"I didn't mean…" The bad aim bandit trailed off. He was the one who almost lost an eye to Vaughan. Charlie looked at both of her friends, silently asking them where their weapons were. Nate reached for his gun until he remembered that he left it in the truck somewhere with Vaughan's bow and arrows. Charlie was the only one still armed. She looked at the bandits and tightened her grip on the handle.

"You." The new leader of the bandits pointed at Charlie. "Bring your knife over here." She glowered at them, and Nate was sure that Charlie wouldn't do it. She would throw herself at the thieves, screaming and swinging her knife wildly at them, and then be impaled by multiple arrows.

Maybe that happened in an alternate universe, but it didn't happen here. Instead, Charlie hesitantly lowered her knife. Before it touched the ground, the leader spoke up.

"No. I said_ bring_ it here." The leader ordered.

"…Fine." Charlie said. She walked forward. Nate and Vaughan had the same puzzled expression on their faces. Why wouldn't he want her to kick it over? The man ran the risk of getting attacked this way. Even with the other four pointing their weapons at her, carefully following her every move, she still could slit his throat before getting hurt.

She pointed the hilt at him. "Here you go, motherfu-" The leader's fist connected hard with her lower jaw. Charlie's head whipped to the side. She lost consciousness before she hit the ground.

"_Charlie!"_ Vaughan screamed. Before he could lunge towards her, an arrow impaled the ground inches from his foot. The younger man looked hopelessly at his girlfriend and backed away. Nate glowered at the bandits. His legs juddered from locking them in place to keep himself from charging at them. The bandit who had chastised the other for missing his target picked up Charlie. Vaughan shouted something in Japanese.

"Don't shout at me in your Jap language. You're in America now. Speak English." The leader chastised. Nate's hate for the bandana-wearing son of a bitch inflamed at this comment. At that moment, he sounded exactly like his father. The one who, after overhearing the teenager slip into his native tongue, spoke to Vaughan for possibly the first time just to chastise him about where he was and how he should speak. Aggressive disappointment and racial slurs never strayed too far from his words.

"You know where to take her." The leader- he was too young to be his dad but _God_ were their voices disgustingly similar- said. "Don't have too much fun." He turned to the other bandit and placed the knife across Charlie's body.

"Of course boss-man!" The man holding Charlie said ecstatically. Nate forced himself not to run up to him and rip his head off. The bandit got on one of the bicycles. He sat the unconscious Charlie on his lap and rode away. Vaughan's look of complete horror and anguish followed them until they were out of sight.

"The both of you. On your knees. _Now."_ The leader demanded. Vaughan's legs gave out and he fell onto his knees. He placed trembling hands on top of his head. Nate raised his hands and eased himself to the ground. The bandits closed the distance between the two of them until their world consisted of a wall of masked men.

"Do you know what you assholes did?" The leader asked. He moved in front of Vaughan and bent over. "Well Jap? What do you think happened?" The distress and fright on his face back then was nothing compared to the expression he held now, but Vaughan's stress had bothered Nate plenty back then regardless. Not that he cared much for the kid before that incident, why would he take much interest in the exchange student living with them outside of getting some cruel amusement? But if there was ever a moment he could oppose his father, he would almost always take it. And since his father had taken to bullying the Asian kid with the strong accent, Nate was going to defend him.

The younger man didn't answer the bandit leader. Only stared straight ahead of him, focusing on nothing. Nate thought he heard him say something about his mother.

The leader straightened himself out. "I asked you a question!" He growled. The bandit raised his leg and brought his foot down hard.

**(o)**

Nate quickly shifted himself in front of Vaughan and took the blow to his shoulder. The pain spread across his chest. His leg brushed against the arrow on the ground as he fell back into the younger man. He grabbed onto his shoulder and hissed in pain. The haze of grief and apprehension lifted off Vaughan's eyes. He pressed a hand against Nate's back and unharmed shoulder and eased him slowly to a kneeling position. All the bandits laughed except for the one on Vaughan's right, the one who had missed Nate.

"Are you alright?" Vaughan said into his ear. It had come out as 'Ah you alu lighto' back then. His father had done nothing to physically hurt Nate. Nothing _then_ anyways. Nate hadn't made fun of his accent that time and said he was fine. After all, his father had done worse to both him and Casey than just yelling.

His face twitched in pain but he managed to smile. "I'm kind of drunk remember?" Nate intoned. "This don't hurt too tough."

"Oh how _valiant."_ The leader said. His sarcasm made the others, except for the bad aim bandit, laugh again. "So tell me, Sir Mordred, do _you_ know what happened?"

| We killed your men |  
| We stole from you |  
**| Fuck off you piece of shit |**  
| … |

"Fuck off you piece of sh-" Nate's snarled comeback turned into a hiss as a foot slammed dead center into his flat stomach. He kept himself from screaming in pain and outrage, though the air expelled from his lungs made the effort unnecessary. He keeled over; gasping, coughing, and feeling like he was going to vomit. Vaughan grabbed hold of Nate's shoulders again, whimpering something that he couldn't make out.

"I'll tell you what happened." The leader chimed in, withdrawing his foot. "The commotion the two of you and your half-breed friend caused back at the camp attracted skin-eaters. Notice how there were only five of us that came to get you? There used to be _more._ But when we went back to the camp we were taken by surprise. Many of us fucking _died."_ The other bandits grunted in agreement. Nate slowly eased himself up again. The leader hovered over the two men on the ground. A sadistic glow glinted his eyes.

"Here's what we're going to do." The leader continued, his voice soft with feign kindness. "We're going to beat the shit out of the both of you. Then we're going to kill you. After that, we'll take our stuff back and meet up with your friend." He paused and then added offhandedly. "I wasn't quite sure whether the half-breed really was a chick when I made her hand the knife to me. I'm still not so sure, but I guess Harvey can tell us when we get back."

**| I'm going to kill you |**  
| Leave us alone |  
| You motherfucker |  
| … |

"I'm goin' to kill you." Nate glowered.

"Oh, really?" The leader said, tilting his head at him. The bandit bent over Nate until their faces were inches apart. "And how are you going to do _that?" _From the day his father decided to pick on Vaughan, Nate took it upon himself to protect the foreign kid from bullies like he did with Casey. He ended up beating the shit out of a few assholes for the flimsy Asian. Not his dad though. Never his dad. Because, whether the person under his charge was an exchange student or his own brother, he never could physically stand up to the bastard.

**(o)**

But this man wasn't his dad.

Nate yanked the arrow from the ground, faced the head forward, and stabbed it into the leader's eye. His father's voice squealed like a bloated pig. The other bandits froze. Vaughan made a pained whimpering sound, voice breaking with the ghost of puberty's past, and clasped his hands over his ears. Nate grabbed the back of the man's head, and with a roar he forced the arrow into his brain. The leader made a sound that was absurdly close to a burp and then ceased screaming or moving all together. Nate pushed him and the leader fell down like a bag of stones.

"Holy shit." The bad aim bandit said. His words snapped the others' paralysis in half. Their weapons, once lowered by shock, now whipped upward in Nate's direction.

**(o)**

Nate lunged at one of the bandits. He seized the fucker's arm and twisted it behind his back. The man screamed in pain. Nate wrapped an arm around the bandit's neck and forced the man to stand in front of him before the other one began firing. The bad aim bandit didn't move.

Nate dodged the arrows, shifting his head from side to side.

The human shield in his arms began pulling away from him.

**««Q»» **

Nate's hold on him tightened. He growled, pulling his shield back. The fellow thief moved his bow erratically in an attempt to follow Nate's movements without hitting the other bandit.

**[E]**

Nate gave a sharp tug at the bandit's arm and the man jumped back up. The fellow thief released an arrow. It impaled the man's eye. His shield went limp in Nate's grasp. Nate dropped him.

"Fuck!" The other bandit cursed. He produced another arrow and drew it back. Before he could fire it, Vaughan leaped to his feet and shoved him over. The bandit stumbled back. He tried to keep balance and failed. The side of his head hit the truck before he fell to the ground. The bandit grunted and lost consciousness. Trails of blood oozed down his face.

Vaughan stared blank-eyed at the man he shoved, as if his mind were trying to process the fact that he even moved at all. Slowly, he looked around at his surroundings. His gaze swayed back and forth between the former leader of the bandits and one of his men, both of who now sported identical arrows protruding out of their faces. Finally processing everything that happened, Vaughan recoiled.

"I will not throw up. I will not throw up." Vaughan repeated desperately. He wrapped an arm around his stomach and covered his mouth. Nate ignored him, attention now savagely fixed on the remaining bandit who stared back at him with eyes half guilty, half frightened, all round and stupidly large.

"H-hey man." The bad aim bandit stammered. He raised his hands in the air, dropping his crossbow. "Hey I-" Nate darted towards the bandit. He thought he might've seen a tooth fly out the second after he punched him in the face. The man shrieked through his short trip towards the ground, stopping only when he landed on his back with a hard thud. Before he had a chance to get up, Nate stomped on his stomach. Bad aim let out a pained 'oof' sound that would've been comical if not for current circumstances. Nate kept his foot on him as the man trembled in the grass.

"_Where's Charlie!?"_ Nate thundered. Vaughan looked away from the bodies and stood beside Nate.

"I'll tell you! Just- just give me some supplies." The bad aim bandit said.

"What?" Nate asked indignantly. Was this vermin fucking serious? "Why the _fuck_ would we do that?"

"I- I just… I only joined them for protection, I swear! I never did any of that other stuff. I… I stole and killed people because they made me help them do that, but I never did anything more than that. I never… forced myself on anyone. Now that they're all dead… I just need something to support myself for a while. You can take everything else! I'll even let you take the ticket the boss has on him!" For all the gall the bandit had, he did have the decency to sound both remorseful and disgusted with himself and the lengths he went to in order to survive. Vaughan went to the dead leader and searched through his pockets. He took out a crumpled up, medium sized piece of paper. He smoothed it out and, after reading it, relaxed ever so slightly.

"See! That's okay!" The bandit said. "I'll tell you everything after you give me some stuff!" The man dug his shaky hands into the earth.

"Or we could _make_ you tell us where she is." Nate's voice was dangerously low. The man beneath him shrunk under his vengeful gaze.

"Just give him some of the supplies." Vaughan's drained voice said from behind him. Nate looked at Vaughan with an expression of pure disbelieve which quickly morphed into rage. When Vaughan stood beside him again, Nate clutched the younger man's collar and yanked him forward until their foreheads nearly touched. Vaughan's body locked up in reaction to their proximity and the anger oozing off his friend.

"Your girl is probably getting _raped_ right now," Nate seethed. "And you want to _reward_ one of his friends for it?"

"O-of course n-not!" Vaughan said. He shook his head and Nate's hat shifted. "I-I know… I k-know what's probably happening to C-Charlie right now. But there is absolutely n-no reason why _we_ sh-should be like that too. We're better than that." He looked away from Nate and stared at the bandit. "N-Nate, look at him."

Nate did as he was told. A dark spot was growing on the bandit's pants, starting from his crotch and spreading outwards. The man didn't notice. He was digging dirt out of the ground, distracting himself from his fear of the two men in front of him.

"H-he's…" Vaughan paused, trying to will the stutters out of his voice. "He's not going to go after us and he's not going to lie." He looked back at Nate. "We won't accomplish anything more by hurting him."

| How do you know that? |  
**| What if I want to hurt him? |**  
| You're morals will get us killed |  
| … |

Nate looked at Vaughan. "What if I _want_ to hurt him?" He asked. Vaughan closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that**

"Please don't." Vaughan begged. _Please don't._ Nate winced slightly. His hands uncurled from the younger man's collar. Vaughan rubbed his throat and stepped away. Nate looked from the bandit, to the truck, and back to the bandit again. The man sat in the grass, pants soaked with urine and hands filled with dirt, waiting for Nate to do something.

This was fucking bullshit, he thought so with every step he took towards the truck. He heard both Vaughan and the bad aim bandit let out identical sighs of relief and wanted to punch them both in the throat, the bandit more so than the bespectacled, naive idiot. Nate opened the tonneau cover. The back was filled with boxes.

**(o) Look at box**

There was an empty box on its side, waiting to be filled with the provisions the bandit needed to make it on his own for a while. Nate frowned.

**(o) Look at whiskey**

As he was looking for goods to fill the box, his eyes fell upon the bottles of whiskey and the propane torch.

"Why did she put those two so close together?" Nate murmured to himself. A thought entered his mind then. A very bad, but righteously good thought. "…I could set the bastard on fire. He'd talk then and he wouldn't come after us. The fountain is right over there, so I could put him out before he burned to death."

"Nate?" Vaughan's call was weighted down by the anxiety of getting a move on and finding Charlie as quickly as possible. Nate shared that sentiment.

"Comin'." Nate said over his shoulder. He looked back and forth between the empty box and the propane torch.

(o) Give supplies

**(o) Set bandit on fire**

He picked the torch up and pulled a bottle of whiskey out of the box. He held the torch under his arm as he opened the bottle. After throwing the lid away, he held the two items in both of his hands and walked back towards the bandit.

**(?) You chose to set the bandit on fire**

"…What?" The bad aim bandit sounded puzzled. "What am I supposed to do with…" He took a good look at Nate's face and the rest of his question died. Nate poured the whiskey on the man's shoulder. The bandit flinched but was too petrified to move. Vaughan's face tensed as Nate's intentions dawned on him.

"Don't-" Vaughan started. Nate pointed the nozzle of the propane torch at him and turned it on. A small but intense blue flame shot from the opening. Vaughan could feel the flame through his shirt.

"I'm going to burn the son of a bitch. You can watch if you want." Nate smiled at him. He didn't need Vaughan's recoil from him to know that the smile was corrupt and nasty. His muscles and skin felt thick with the wrongness of that crazed expression. He didn't mind though. No, he didn't mind at all. How could he, when his brain was being chewed on by jaws made of homicidal thoughts? Nate turned back to the bandit and slammed his foot into his stomach again.

"This is what's going to happen." Nate told the quivering man. "I'm gonna take this torch and set you on fire. When you tell me where Charlie is, I'll take the fire out."

"No!" The man cried. "No! _Please!"_ His petrifaction shattered. Tears ran down the man's eyes as he grabbed onto Nate's leg, his grip tight and desperate as he pleaded to be left unharmed.

**(o)**

Nate yanked his leg away from the man's grip. The bandit crawled aimlessly away from him, wanting to go to safety but too scared to even think of finding it and painfully aware that he had nowhere to go. The dark spot on his pants grew in size.

**(o)**

Nate snatched the bandit's arm and turned him forward. The man was blubbering, screaming for someone to help him.

**(o)**

Nate brought the propane torch down. The fire hit the bandit's shoulder. The man's upper torso burst into flames. The bandit wailed. He writhed on the ground, bawling in pain and fear. Vaughan ran up to the man. Nate grabbed hold of him before he could reach the bandit.

"やめて! _やめて__!_ You're going to kill him!" Vaughan cried. He struggled against Nate's grasp.

| No I won't |  
**| Stop being a pussy |**  
| Just hold on |  
| … |

"Stop being a fucking pussy and _shut up!"_ Nate shouted into his face. Shrinking away from him like a kicked dog, Vaughan refused to stop being a fucking pussy. But he did stop moving after the initial jerk and his protests dried up and evaporated to someplace where someone actually gave a shit. Nate thought- he _knew_- that it was not his screaming but his face that got Vaughan to quit his noise. Nate let him go. Vaughan didn't try to help the bandit.

"_I'll talk! Oh God, I'll talk!"_ The bandit wailed. _"Fuck! Take the fire out! Take it out! I'll talk!" _Something smelt like bacon frying in old peanut oil and sewer water. Nate wondered if that was how people smelt like when they were roasting or if it was just this particular scumbag's aroma a la barbecue.

"Talk first, then the fire goes out." Nate told him. Vaughan quaked in place. He stared at the screaming, burning man and couldn't tear his eyes away. He placed a hand over his mouth and moaned.

"_Ah fuck! Help me!"_ The man bawled. Nate looked at the smouldering man and felt nothing for him. No second thoughts. No guilt. No compassion. For the first time since the apocalypse started, he didn't mind.

"Tell me where Charlie is." Nate said.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Kill These Folks  
—

* * *

After he let Vaughan drag the blazing bandit into the fountain, he made him leave the man in the pool without tending to his wounds. The man's chest, face, and upper half of his left thigh were ruined. The skin melted and sagged, boils formed like polka dots on his injured flesh. Vaughan nearly threw up. Nate left him alone as he drove to the town houses Charlie was taken to.

It took them two minutes to get there. Nate got out of the truck and Vaughan followed a moment after him, movements slowed. His eyes gazed distantly into nothing. Sections of his clothes were seared.

Nate could hear faint moaning sounds coming from some of the houses. He walked quietly over to Vaughan's side. The younger man wouldn't look at him, though it seemed like he was too out of it to be actively ignoring Nate's presence. Nate lightly tapped his shoulder. Vaughan didn't flinch like he expected him too. Instead he, with visible effort, pulled himself away from whatever happy place or empty place or anywhere-but-here place and looked at Nate with wide and tired eyes.

"When we walk to house thirteen, we're not going to make a sound." Nate whispered. "We're going to wreck the motherfucker who took Charlie, and then we're going to get her out of there. Let's go." He tapped Vaughan's shoulder again before dropping his arm to his side. There was a brown and red smudge where his hand had been. Nate looked at his palms. They were caked in soil, blood, and what may have been eye juice. Nate wiped them on his jeans, nose wrinkling against a brief flare of disgust. He didn't look down at them when he was done to see if they were clean.

Vaughan nodded. His hands fidgeted anxiously with the bow. It was moments like this that made Nate questioned if he really was a psychopath or not, because aside from the residual peevishness he felt over his behaviour, he felt sorry for Vaughan now and sorry for what he did to him if not for the bandit. But this wasn't time for feeling sorry. This was the time to be pissed off and ready to rip lungs out of people's bodies through their throats.

**/!\ Sneak up to house thirteen**

They crouched low to the ground and crept forward, passing house after house with the upmost care and caution. Vaughan lost balance a few times but managed to keep himself from falling. Nate counted the numbers of the doors they passed.

_One, three, is Charlie dead? _

_Five, seven, did she get raped?_

_Nine, eleven, I'll kill the son of a bitch!_

_Thirteen._

Vaughan and Nate move stealthily up the stairs and to the door.

**(o) Look at door**

The door was ajar.

"It's open." Nate whispered. A sweaty, musky smell wafted through the gap.

**(o) Open door**

Nate looked at Vaughan. The younger man nodded back, his eyes large but determined. Nate pressed his hand against the door and pushed gently until there was enough room for them to squeeze through. The two men went in.

They took a few wary steps into the home before a round object flew past their feet and slammed the door shut. Nate and Vaughan yelped. They pointed their weapons wildly around the dark foyer. Nate couldn't see anyone, but someone had to be there.

"_うわああ__!"_ Vaughan's half scream startled him. Nate turned to him, then followed his gaze to the ground. A strained croak escaped his mouth when he saw what Vaughan was staring at.

It was a head. The neck had been severed unevenly. Pieces of shredded flesh and bone hung from the opening. The eyes bulged, the mouth was open in a silent scream, blood oozed from the stab wound on its forehead, and the face muscles were tensed in a snarl of extreme pain.

"It…it's…" Vaughan could barely speak. "I-it's the m-man who took C-Charlie…" He made a gagging noise and brought a hand up to his mouth. Nate thought the disembodied head was going to get bathed in vomit, but Vaughan kept from throwing up.

"Took you two long enough." A voice said from their right. They jumped and turned towards the owner of the voice.

"Charlie!" Vaughan cried. Charlie's clothes were wrinkled and haphazardly worn on her body. Her fly was zipped down. Her kinky curly hair was tied in a loose bun, though a section of her hair was freed and frizzed outward. Blood dripped from her hands, her knife, and soaked into her clothes. She was smoking a cigarette, a cheap one by the smell of the smoke.

Vaughan dropped the bow and ran to her. Charlie moved the cigarette away from her mouth before he embraced her. Vaughan kissed her lips, her bruised cheek, and neck; foreign words spoken between each kiss was thick with fervent relief. Nate lowered the gun, body relaxing, and smiled.

"Are you alright?" Vaughan asked when he finally spoke English again and pulled his face away from hers. "Did he hurt you? D-did he make you do anything?" He placed his hands on her shoulders. Charlie put the cigarette to her lips and inhaled.

"He didn't make me do anythin'." Charlie said. "I did sleep with him though." She turned her head away from Vaughan and exhaled. The smoke jetted out of her mouth like a dragon post fire breath. The two men gave her matching looks of confusion.

"I… I-I don't understand." Vaughan said slowly. He sounded puzzled and concerned. "I thought you said he didn't make you do anything."

"He didn't." Charlie repeated.

| I still don't understand |  
| Why did you do that? |  
**| Oh holy shit |**  
| … |

"…Oh holy shit." Nate said, dumbfounded. "You _willingly_ slept with him?" Even when the truth dawned on him, he expected her to deny it. He expected her to get offended or mock him, say that she would never do something so fucking stupid. But Charlie nodded. Vaughan's hands fell from her shoulder like dead weights. All the questions tried to come out of his mouth at once and caused him to stutter pathetically.

"I know." Charlie told her boyfriend. She stared into him with no regret in her eyes. "Its quite surprising. Wouldn't it have been terrible of me if I had kept it from you? It's a good thing _I toldja right away."_ She walked past the stunned Vaughan and left the house. The smoke trailed after her.

Nate looked at Vaughan. It was as if gravity had increased around the younger man, crushing him with its invisible force from the outside in. And he was letting it happen too, his body seemed to get smaller in the pressure of that hovering gravity. Nate decided he didn't want to look at Vaughan anymore and followed Charlie out the door.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Hell Hath No Fury  
—

She was standing on the sidewalk. Smoke rings flowed out of her mouth. She tilted a head at Nate as he descended down the stairs.

"Don't think you don't gotta keep your word now that I got this." Charlie flicked the cigarette around her mouth as she told him this. "I'm still holding ya to the cigarettes you promised me."

**| You couldn't lie about it? |**  
| I was still planning to get you some |  
| [Slap Charlie] |  
| … |

"You couldn't have lied about what happened? You were just compelled to tell him the fuckin' truth?" Nate's irritation wouldn't allow for him to drop what happened.

"If I were going to lie about it I wouldn't have slept with the bandit in the first place." Charlie sounded bored. That aggravated his irritation farther. She noticed this but ignored it in favor of taking another drag of her cigarette. She spoke again after blowing the smoke out her lungs. "I'm going to tell you what happened."

| Fine |  
| I don't want to fucking know |  
| Eww |  
**| … |**

Nate crossed his arms and said nothing.

Charlie went on. "When I woke up, the asshole was carryin' me towards the house. He saw that my eyes were open and he got scared, but he acted like he was tough shit and started threatening me. 'If you scream I'll kill you' he says. 'You don't have to worry about nothin' I tell him. 'I'm more than willing to do whatja want.' Now he may have looked stupid, but he wasn't. Not by _much_ anyways. He didn't believe that I'd go with him without a fight."

"So I started kissing him. _That_ convinced the bastard. He carried me into the house and laid me down. At that moment I could have killed him. The butcher's knife was close by; I could have grabbed it and stabbed the son of a bitch. But Vaughan needed to be taught a lesson. So I slept with him."

"After we were done, he was very relaxed and I was… rather impressed, actually. He told me that the others were going to want to have me too. I told him I didn't mind and he laughed. I asked him for a cigarette, he gave me one, I lit it, and then I decapitated him. It was somewhat difficult to cut completely through, he did struggle quite a bit, but in the end his head came off clean enough I suppose." She took another drag from the cigarette, held the smoke in, and let it out. "You impressed?"

| Yes |  
**| Somewhat |**  
| No |  
| … |

"Somewhat." Nate admitted.

"Why somewhat?" She didn't sound disappointed, not that she had done what she did to impress anyone.

"Decapitating motherfuckers is always awesome." Nate said, as if the bandit's head hadn't disturbed him when he first saw it. "That you slept with said motherfucker just to get back at Vaughan is _not fucking awesome! _Don't roll your eyes, it's true! Okay, yeah, Vaughan lied to you. I know that sucks. And I would be fine with you doing something _minor_ to get back at him. But what you did was not fucking minor!"

"Ain't like _you_ never cheated before." Charlie grumbled.

| This isn't about me |  
| Not on someone with cancer |  
**| Not on a good person |**  
| … |

"Not on anyone who didn't deserve it." Nate spat. Charlie almost crushed the cigarette between her fingers.

"The fuck did you just say?" Charlie demanded.

"You heard me, bitch." Nate said.

"Fuck you Nate." Charlie snarled. They stared each other down. If she hit him, Nate decided, they'd end up beating the shit out of each other in the abandoned community. Because he would hit her back, and it would escalate like it did the last time.

Charlie, in a rare display of mental exhaustion, was the one to back down. She glared at the cigarette like she was judging it for being almost finished.

"Vaughan will get over it." Charlie mumbled. Before Nate could argue that no, Vaughan wasn't going to get over this, at least not very easily, the bandit's head flew past the both of them. They had a delayed reaction to it, flinching after it bounced off the pavement. A bloody skid mark followed it as it stumbled to a stop.

"Score!" Vaughan cheered. Charlie and Nate stared at him as he skipped down the stairs towards them.

"Well Charlie!" Vaughan said. He leered at her. She jerked away from him. "I can see why you fucked the guy. His was a face to die for!" Vaughan laughed again and walked towards the truck.

"The fuck's wrong with him?" Charlie asked when he was some distance away.

**| Mood swings |**  
| What's wrong with YOU? |  
| Let's just get out of here |  
| … |

"It's mood swings." Nate told her. "You know, from the _tumor_ he has in his head." He walked away from her before she could reply.

* * *

Nate could still hear the baby scream in his head when he jerked from his sleep. The bright stars mocked him with their peaceful appearance. He thought he heard an owl screech, which was odd because he swore he parked the truck in a parking lot. Shivering from the shock of the dream and not the slight chill of the air, he grabbed onto the side of the trunk and pulled himself up. A light hit his face and he recoiled. He reached for his gun.

"I thought you said sleeping was stupid." Vaughan said. He moved the flashlight away from Nate's face. He kept talking before Nate could reply. "You set a man on fire, even after I told you we didn't have to. You set him on fire and I can't sleep because I still smell him _burning."_ Vaughan was also shaking. Like Nate, it wasn't from the cold. The light reflected the deep seated anger and guilt in his eyes.

| What can I do about that? |  
**| I'm not as bad as Charlie |**  
| Go back to sleep |  
| … |

It was a long day, and on normal circumstances he would've told Vaughan to fuck off so he could rest. But lately sleep came with nightmares, and the guilt of what he put Vaughan through was still gnawing at him, so he decided he'd put up with this for a while.

"Yes, I lit a man on fire." Nate said. "But at least I ain't as bad as Charlie."

Vaughan scoffed at him. "You said you wanted to hurt him!"

"…I did," Nate agreed. "But that don't mean it wasn't necessary." Vaughan opened his mouth and Nate covered it with his hand. "Shut up and listen for a second. I _had_ to hurt him. He wouldn't have told us the truth otherwise. I know you think differently, but you're wrong. He hung out with those bastards willingly, he said so himself. He would have done shit like that on a regular with those fuckers, why would he stop if we gave him our stuff for free?" He moved his hand from Vaughan's mouth.

"What Charlie did to you, _that_ was much worse." Nate continued. "She could've killed the bandit right away, but she didn't because she wanted to get back at you for something you did because you were scared and didn't want her to leave you. Not that Charlie sees it that way but whatever." The younger man looked away.

"I set that guy on fire for all of us, alright?" Nate's voice went soft. "How the hell does fucking someone help anyone but her?" Vaughan looked back at Nate. All the anger that had been radiating off him was gone, leaving a thick layer of exhaustion in its place.

**| [Move over] |**  
| [Do nothing] |

"C'mon up." Nate said. "Ya probably don't wanna go back in there now that I've said all that." He shifted himself to the side and patted the now free space.

**(?) Vaughan will remember that**

"…Is there enough room?" Vaughan asked.

"Sure there is." Nate told him. "I've been kicking around in my sleep lately so I moved a lot of the stuff on the ground so I don't break anything." Vaughan looked at the boxes on the ground. He hesitated before climbing up into the back of the truck. He stumbled as he tried to sit. Nate grabbed hold of his arm and eased him down. Once seated, Nate placed an arm around Vaughan's shoulder. They were quiet for a while before Vaughan spoke up.

"I fear for my mental health." The younger man said. "Regardless of whether or not the cancer is messing with my head, I think I still need help."

| We all need help |  
**| You need a doctor and a therapist? |**  
| You're going to get tougher |  
| … |

"You need a doctor and a therapist then?" Nate asked.

Vaughan sighed. "A therapist… the thing about therapists nowadays is that the dead ones can't help you and the living ones probably need therapy too."

Nate nodded. "At least we found you doctors." He said.

"Yeah," Vaughan replied. "At least I'll have them. That's more important, I guess." Silence fell over the two men again. Nate rested his head against the back window of the truck and sighed. Tomorrow would be less stressful. Tomorrow hopefully marked the start of normality in their lives again.

But even if that was the case, it didn't make what happened today easier to deal with. It didn't make the nightmares bearable or his mental health less disturbing. Nate closed his eyes.

"I'm tired." He sighed.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Broken Infinity Heart  
—


	4. Safe Resting Place

_This game series adapts to the choices you make._

_The story is tailored by how you play._

TELLTALE GAMES

presents

in association with

SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT

The inability to fix vehicle wear and tear was understandable in the apocalypse. But the mechanic side of Nate's brain was still baffled by how a two-year-old car could look moments away from exploding. It trembled as if afraid of the psychos that might be following it, which would be unsurprising with all the backfiring and clanging noises it made. Even with the windows up, Nate could hear the engine grumbling miserably under the hood. And the exhaust came out of the pipe in a thick black cloud.

If Nate had been hired to fix the man's car, he'd probably end up with a week's worth of grocery money by the time he was done. But he wasn't hired to do anything, and would've driven past the man and his raggedy, dying, psycho-attracting car. However, unlike Nate, the man knew how to get to the camp. So unfortunately, he was stuck with the task of following him while keeping at a safe distance. At least it was moving at a reasonable pace.

"Ah nah tah wah bawkaw desk." Nate said. A short snort of a laugh escaped Vaughan before he could cover his mouth. Charlie snuffled her own and shook her head.

"What?" Nate asked. "Didn't I say it?" Impartial to Japanese as he was, Nate attempted to get the pronunciation right. He had been driving for over three hours, most of which was spent in restrained and awkward silence. To lighten the mood, Nate decided to feign interest in learning a new language. His friends' ability to forget their conflict after hours of projected bitterness towards each other made it worth twisting his tongue around foreign words.

"No, but that's alright. Let's try again." Vaughan said. He cleared his throat. "あなた わ 馬鹿 です."

"Ah nah tah wah bawkaw desk." Nate repeated.

"Well, that's close enough I guess." Vaughan smiled.

"How do ya sound _more_ southern when you're speaking Japanese?" Charlie was simultaneously scoffing and laughing at him. "Fuckin' hillbilly."

"What does it mean?" Nate asked.

"It means, 'you are an idiot.'" Vaughan told him. They were in rural territory; farms with rotting wood and peeling paint, overgrown vineyards infested with snakes, and the occasional ghost town passed by the truck. Nate thought it was a good place to have a camp. There was space to move around, the population of psychos would be less than the cities', and no unwanted guests would be able to find them. As they passed by another abandoned farm, Nate wondered how many animals had died of starvation, being eaten by wild animals or the undead.

"You were supposed to teach me swear words." Nate wined. The car in front turned, attempting to shake out of existence. It didn't. Nate put more distance between his truck and the car. "'You're an idiot' ain't a swear."

"Nate, anybody can swear in another language." Charlie told him. "But knowin' how to offend people in complete sentences makes you look smart _and_ an asshole." Vaughan frowned at her and Charlie caught his gaze. They glared at each other for a few seconds before Vaughan looked away. An uncomfortable silence once again encroached itself into the truck. Nate was about to ask Vaughan to teach him more phrases when Charlie spoke.

"Somethin' don't feel right." Charlie said. Vaughan turned his head back towards her. Nate couldn't see his face anymore, but the younger man's body tensed up considerably.

**| Why? |**  
| Again Charlie? |  
| Feels normal to me |  
| … |

Nate puffed out air and rolled his eyes. "Why doesn't it feel right Charlie?" His tone was flat and bored.

Charlie frowned at his disinterest. "When we got to the place the ticket told us to go, it wasn't the camp." She explained. "The man we're following told us it was the rendezvous point, but that doesn't make any sense. Why wouldn't they let people go directly to the camp?" She looked at Vaughan. He took off his glasses and wiped them on his shirt. He put so much force into cleaning them that Nate thought the lenses would pop out.

"They do it for the same reason they have the tickets." Vaughan's voice fought to stay controlled.

"Exactly, _they have tickets."_ Charlie insisted. "People wouldn't know where to go unless they had a ticket to tell them. There ain't no reason why they'd need a rendezvous point unless they're filtering people out. That doesn't sound like somethin' they do if they wanted to help _all_ the sick." Vaughan's face twitched. He gripped his knees tightly, fingers flexing as he did so.

| You have a point |  
**| You're thinking too much |**  
| Does it matter? |  
| … |

"You're thinkin' too much Charles, it ain't as complicated as you're making it out in your head." Nate said, pointing to his forehead.

**(?) Charlie and Vaughan will remember that**

Charlie frowned at Nate. "After every fucking thing we've been through, I find your inability to question the safety of places disturbing." She said.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." Nate responded playfully. Charlie raised a finger into the air, motioning for him to stop talking and let her speak. She opened her mouth but was cut off when Vaughan started shouting.

"You're just trying to find reasons not to like this place!" Vaughan accused. He whipped his head to her direction. "It's like you _want_ me to die!" Charlie subconsciously inched away from Vaughan, startled by his outburst. Her face went through a range of emotions; going wide-eyed, to her jaw moving behind closed lips in an attempt to form words, to her muscles going taut underneath her skin.

"Why the fuck would I want you to die?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know!" Vaughan said. "Maybe I _disrespected_ you by _breathing too hard!" _

"I don't want you to _die_ Vaughan." Charlie's voice was assertive and low, but lacked the acid it usually had when she was angry. Vaughan looked down, hands still gripped tightly to his knees as he frowned at the glasses in his lap.

"…Oh look, we're here." Nate said; glad that he could finally get out of the car. Four vehicles, including the broken car, lined up in an improvised parking lot. Nate stopped the truck beside a van and stepped out. Vaughan and Charlie followed.

The camp sat in an open plain of a recreation park; grass and weeds flattened against the earth from the toll of countless feet, giving the illusion of being cut when seen from far away. Trees surrounded the camp like a fence but spaced out far enough to walk past them and see what lay beyond the border, which were more plains and trees.

There were a dozen tents from what Nate could see; a large one was near the back of the plain, the rest either in front of the largest one or to the right of playground. The playground was in the middle of the field. Two men were fighting in front of it.

"What's going on?" The man Nate had been following said as he exited his car. He slammed the door and ran towards the conflict. Nate, Charlie, and Vaughan walked after him. There was a small crowd surrounding the fighting men at a safe distance; with the exception of four people the majority looked like doctors or workers at the camp.

"Dad, let me go!" A green haired black woman in her early twenties said. She tried to free her arm from her father's grasp. "Someone needs to stop them!"

"This is _not_ our problem to deal with." The father asserted. He pulled his daughter until her back hit his chest.

"But _dad!"_ The woman's protests were ignored.

"Your old dude's right." A man, who's sclerae was a light red, told the young woman. He gave her a lopsided smile and tilted his head towards the fighting men. "There's no reason to add to the negative vibes going around, yah? Just _relax._ The dudes will stop on their own."

"Hey! _Hey! _Stop it! You are being _bad!" _A little girl sitting on top of the slide yelled at the brawling men. Nate looked at her. His breathing hitched. She looked like an older version of the baby. All noise faded into a dull hum. The man he followed to the camp and a woman around his age yelled at the two men as he stared at the little girl. Was she really there? Or had his mind taken a page from Vaughan's brain and decided to play tricks on him?

"Nate." Vaughan's voice broke through the hum and snapped him out of his thoughts. "We need to do something."

"No we don't. Why should that responsibility be on us? It ain't our place." Charlie said. Nate looked at the both of them.

Charlie shook her head. _Don't do it._

Vaughan frowned at the clashing men and turned back to Nate. _We need to do something._

| I'm not doing shit |  
| Let's stop them |  
**| I'll do it myself |**  
| … |

"I'm gonna to stop them on my own." Nate told Vaughan. "Don't need you takin' any more hits to the head Vee."

**(?) You decided to stop the fight yourself**

Vaughan looked concerned. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Nate said. He walked towards the scuffle.

"You_ really_ don't gotta do this." Charlie called after him.

Nate waved a hand. "Too late, I'm already gone." He said. The crowd watched as he approached the two men. The woman and the man with the broken car moved out of his way as he passed. He stopped a meter away from the fight.

**(o) Look at men**

One was a doctor; a somewhat tall Indian man with thinning peppered hair and a body that looked near anorexic. The other man; white, blond, ten pounds heavier and one head shorter than the Indian man; did not appear to be a doctor, but also failed to look like a visitor somehow. He was probably a worker at the camp.

The worker sat on top of the doctor's stomach. He pulled his arm back and swung it downward. The doctor grabbed his fist before it hit him in the face. The worker tried hitting him with his other hand and again the doctor caught it. They struggled this way, the worker forcing his arms down and the doctor pushing against them, until the doctor twisted his body to the side and threw the worker off with surprising strength.

Nate took a step back as the worker rolled in his direction. The worker groaned, standing back up just in time to see the doctor charging at him. The worker lunged at the doctor. He caught him in an air borne bear hug and knocked him over. The two of them continued fighting on the ground.

"I could pull them apart, or try to knock'em both out." Nate murmured to himself.

"Don't do it dude!" The red-eyed man called. Nate glanced at him before looking back to the struggling men.

| Pull them apart |  
**| Fight men |**

Nate cracked his fingers and stepped forward. His body cast a shadow over the two men. The doctor, now on top of the worker, looked up.

**(o)**

Before the doctor could say anything, Nate drew his foot back and kicked him hard in the stomach. The doctor flew off the other man and landed heavily onto his back. He turned to his side, coughing and hugging his stomach. The worker rose, catching his breath before he made to kick the doctor himself.

**(o)**

Nate shoved him away. The worker stumbled back. When he regained his footing he glared at Nate.

"Get out of here!" The worker shouted. He swung his arm at him.

**(o)**

Nate caught the arm before it hit him. The worker struggled to pull it away from his grasp.

**(o) **

Nate punched the worker in the face. His head shot back.

**(o)**

Nate hit him again. The man spat out blood.

**(o)**

Nate punched him a third time. The man's head rolled to the side and his body went limp. Nate let his arm go and the man fell to the ground.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
First Impressions  
—

"What is going on?" A voice demanded. Nate and the others turned. It was a middle-aged Indian woman. She had an average body weight. A skunk stripe rested against the side of her face, contrasting her black hair and dark skin. Her right arm rested in a sling.

The lines around her eyes spread across her face the longer she took in aftermath of the violence that had taken place. The doctor on the ground eased his beaten body into a sitting position. The Indian woman looked at him with more irritation than concern.

"What happened to you?" She demanded in a flat voice.

"Those two-" The doctor coughed. "Those two did _this_ to me!" He pointed a finger first at the unconscious worker, then at Nate. The woman gave the worker a slightly concerned look. The concern turned to a frown of distrust when she looked at Nate.

| Don't blame me |  
**| It needed to be done |**  
| Shut up |  
| … |

"Needed to be done." Nate said with a shrug.

"_It needed to be done!?"_ The doctor was irate.

"Someone had to stop you two from fightin'." Nate said. The woman's distrustful stare moved from Nate back to the doctor on the ground.

"Why were you fighting with him?" She asked the man. The crowd slowly dispersed now that the conflict was over. Nate looked for the little girl but couldn't find her. It was like she hadn't been there at all. His skin crawled at that thought.

"Dr. Nāgá," The man said. "That idiot was raving _again_ about how we're 'heartless'- fucking heartless, can you believe that?- and how it 'isn't worth it'- _isn't worth it_, fucking hell- to help people if we're going about it this way. I tried to calm him down but he wouldn't listen and he attacked… me." The end of his sentence turned into a murmur as the intensity of Dr. Nāgá's stare grew.

| Why would he say that? |  
| You didn't start it? |  
**| I have to go |**  
| … |

"This is all_ very_ interesting but I have to go." Nate said. He didn't have anywhere to be, he just didn't want to be around the two anymore. As he turned to leave he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned just as the worker charged at the doctor with break neck speeds.

**(o)**

Nate extended his arm. He meant to hit the worker in the face. His fist connected with the man's throat instead. The worker dropped to the ground. Rapid and heavy wheezing noises came from the man. He clawed at his neck as if he was trying to open it up to allow the air to flow through. He twisted his body from side to side, his eyes bulging. The worker looked like he was drowning. Dr. Nāgá ran towards the choking man. The doctor on the ground stared at Nate in disbelief.

"How hard did you hit him?" The doctor asked. Nate shook his head. He looked back at Charlie and Vaughan. Charlie nodded in approval. Vaughan looked horrified. Nate barely felt anything at all.

* * *

They followed the doctor to the patients' section of the camp. Nate had assumed that the large tent in the back of the plain was used for keeping the sick. He was pleasantly surprised when they went towards the row of smaller tents instead. From outside appearances alone, each tent look like it could only hold one person, but seemed large enough for that person to walk around without feeling claustrophobic. Nate supposed this was done to prevent the sick from accidentally infecting each other, the luxury of privacy being an unplanned bonus.

"I must apologize once again for Donald's behavior. I've never seen him become violent before." Dr. Nāgá said. "He's wasn't always so confrontational about the way I run this camp, but his conscience decided it would plague him for helping us, even if what we do is necessary."

"Necessary? What's necessary" Charlie tone was distrustful. Vaughan frowned at her.

"The secrecy, the tickets, the rendezvous point…" Dr. Nāgá explained. "He felt that we should help more than just the ones allowed to come here, and if we wanted the sick to survive we wouldn't hide ourselves away. I agree with his sentiments, I truly do, but we do not have the resources to help more than few people at a time, and if we did make ourselves more publically known, the camp would eventually be overpopulated with more people than we can aid." She opened one of the tents with a finger and looked inside.

"This tent is unoccupied. You will be staying here." Dr. Nāgá told Vaughan, moving her finger away from the tent.

Vaughan smiled. "Thank you." He kept looking at everything as if it had all been a make-believe story that, through some sort of magic, came true. Nate thought that in a way, that was exactly what had been.

"I'm quite busy at the moment, but…" Dr. Nāgá paused. "What you saw earlier no doubt caused you to question the integrity of my camp. The least I can do is take the time to answer a few of your questions." She crossed her arms behind her back and waited.

**| Who are you? |**  
| How did you find these people? |  
| How long are we allowed to stay? |  
| Exit |

"Who are you exactly?" Nate asked.

"Oh yes, I haven't properly introduced myself." The doctor cleared her throat. "My name is Reva Nāgá. I am the one in charge of this camp. I specialize in oncology so I will be seeing you… what is your name?" She looked at Vaughan.

"I'm Vaughan." The younger man said. "And this is Nate and Charlie." Nate gave the doctor a lazy salute. Charlie kept her arms crossed.

"I will occasionally check up on you Vaughan." Dr. Nāgá told him.

**| How did you find these people? |**  
| How long are we allowed to stay? |  
| Exit |

"How didja find all these people to help ya out?" Nate asked. "I mean _shit_, you couldn't have just phoned these people and ask'm to help you." All three of them looked at the doctor with interest. This was something they had all been wondering. Other than bandits or the occasional group of survivors, they rarely ever saw so many people working together this way. And none of these groups had been working to together to help people other than themselves.

"Most are relatives or in-laws of mine." Dr. Nāgá answered. Their eyes widened.

"Really? And all of you are doctors?" Vaughan asked. They had seen roughly a dozen doctors and they thought more were helping the patients out of view; the three of them had a hard time grasping that most of these people were related to her.

"The majority of us are." Dr. Nāgá said. "I am the oldest of five siblings. Our father pressured us into becoming doctors. After we did we all married people in our field, a few of us had children. When the crisis began my family lived in close proximity to one another, so it wasn't hard for us to group together and keep each other safe. When I came up with the idea for making a camp to assist the ill, my family and I came together to create this." She gestured all around her. "It took some time gathering the supplies but we managed, as you can see."

**| How long are we allowed to stay? |**  
| Exit |

"How long are we allowed to stay here?" Nate asked. If the doctors didn't have enough resources to help many sick at once, Nate was sure they wouldn't want the healthy to use anything that could be put towards the ill. He wouldn't have been surprised if he and Charlie were told they couldn't stay for long. Nate thought that was reasonable. He also thought it could be shoved up the ass of someone who gave a damn. He wasn't going to leave Vaughan. Before the doctor could answer him, Charlie spoke up.

"You're _not_ kicking us out." Charlie echoed his thoughts. "We _ain't_ leavin' without him."

Vaughan frowned at her. "Charlie-"

"Nor do I expect you to." Dr. Nāgá took the outburst in stride. "There are many people here waiting for their sick loved ones to get well. I wouldn't have any of you removed before that happens." This was another pleasant surprise.

"…What about the people who haven't been given a ticket yet?" Vaughan asked.

"It means that no more people are will be invited to the camp until someone leaves." Dr. Nāgá told him.

"Oh." Vaughan muttered. He looked and sounded genuinely disappointed for the people who no longer had a chance to be there. That sentiment was only shared with the doctor.

**| Exit |**

Nate shrugged. He had no more questions. The doctor looked to Charlie and Vaughan.

"No one else has anything they'd like to ask?" Dr. Nāgá said.

"Have you been in close contact with a psycho lately?" Charlie blurted out. Vaughan hissed something in Japanese. She ignored it. Nate knew why Charlie questioned the doctor about that. A rotting smell clung to the Indian woman. Nate hadn't noticed it when he first met her because she hadn't been standing near enough to him. Now that they were speaking at a close distance, it was impossible not to notice.

"Not recently." The doctor said after a pause. She pulled at the string on her sling. "Why?"

"Never mind." Charlie waved the doctor's question away.

"Very well." Dr. Nāgá said. "I have other matters to attend to. Vaughan, stay in this tent. A doctor will be with you shortly. Nate, Charlie, you may stay with your friend if you'd like, though I suggest you introduce yourselves to the other members of the camp."

"Ya mean talk to all the doctors and shit?" Nate asked.

"You can, although that wasn't particularly what I had in mind." Dr. Nāgá said. "I was referring to the other visitors. I believe there are four such ones in the camp. If you'll excuse me." The doctor nodded and left the three of them alone. Vaughan forced a grumbled goodbye under his breath and went inside the green tent.

"I ain't gonna talk to the others." Charlie told Nate. "I'm going to stay with Vaughan until a doctor comes." She went into the tent before he could respond. The moment she stepped inside, a heated argument began. It was in Japanese so he couldn't understand what was being said, but he thought he heard a 'bawkaw' somewhere amidst the tense and loud words thrown about in the tent.

"Bonjour!" The voice came from his side, much closer to the ground than he was. Nate looked at the owner of the voice and felt something in him shrivel up. It was the little girl. Her likeness to the baby was more evident now that she was so close to him. _Too_ close to him. Nate stepped back, widening the girth between them. The little girl smiled at him. Dimples indented her cheeks. Nate tried to remember if the baby had dimples and couldn't. That bothered him; it had only been three days since the baby died and Nate had dreamt of her every night afterward. Why couldn't he remember?

The red haired, green-eyed girl in the dirty Alice in Wonderland dress waited for him to speak.

| Hello |  
| What do you want? |  
**| Are you real? |**  
| … |

"Are you real?" Nate's voice came out in a rasp. Being a possible psychopath was bad enough, but he realized at that moment that he was beginning to get used to the idea. He couldn't get used to seeing things that weren't there. He couldn't get used to looking at a girl who looked so much like the one he couldn't save, the one he failed take care of because he was a weak and stupid piece of shit.

"…Non, My name is not 'Real'." The little girl said. She looked down at her hands of a moment, fingers nervously twitching, before looking back up at Nate. "Um… Can you help me with something?"

**| What is it? |**  
| It depends |  
| No |  
| … |

His first instinct was to say no and get as far away from her as possible. He fought against it. He was not going to run away from a _child._

"…What is it?" Nate forced himself to ask. The little girl smiled, looking far less nervous now.

"I want to make little… um…" She tried to find the word in English. She wiggled her fingers as if she could grab the word she was looking for out of the air. "Flower… _flower bunches_ for everyone!"

"…You mean 'bouquets'?" Nate asked.

"It is the same word in English?" The little girl said.

"Yeah." Nate told her.

"Okay." She beamed. "I think there are flowers I can get, but they are away from the camp and I do not want to go alone. Maman says that I am not supposed to go anywhere by myself. And I might run into Morts!"

| You want me to protect you? |  
| Can't you ask someone else? |  
**| Morts? |**  
| … |

"Morts?" Nate asked. The girl opened her mouth, frowned, and closed it. She wiggled her hands into the air but no words fell out of the sky for her. She stopped moving her hands and pouted. Nate was about to tell her that she didn't need to explain what she meant if she couldn't when she began making growling noises.

She moved her arms and legs like she was climbing a ladder and stuck her tonged out. The little girl was pretending to be a psycho to get her point across. It would have been cute or annoying if it hadn't reminded him of what he had seen in the pharmacy. Nate grimaced.

"Can you come with me?" The little girl asked once she was finished. "I saw you beat up the guys being mean to each other- _hurting people is not nice by the way-_ but you can keep me safe with your beating up people skills."

"Shit, I… I don't know kid…" Nate said. It was pathetic to want to run from a child, the urge to do so was stupid and needed to be repressed. But he didn't want to be around her.

"Please? _Please?"_ The little girl begged.

**| I'll help you |**  
| It won't take long? |  
| I'm busy |  
| … |

"Don't be a pussy, _she's just a little girl."_ Nate growled under his breath. The girl gave him a puzzled frown. Nate placed his hands on his knees, knelt down to her level, and made himself smile. "Alright kid. I'll… help you out."

**(?) You decided to help the little girl**

"Yay! _Merci!"_ The little girl chimed. She bounced over to Nate's side and grabbed his hand. It felt warm in his, felt _real _in his, but as he walked towards the border of the camp, he wondered if he was really walking alone.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Je Ne Sais Quoi  
—

* * *

The collection of flowers had been arranged to illustrate a picture at one point in time. Maybe it had been a dog, a logo, or someone's face. It was hard to tell now that the image had been made unrecognizable by weeds, dehydrated flowers, and a lack of maintenance. Nate thought the little girl would be disappointed, but she was excited about finding so many flowers at once. The death and disarray had not lessened the beauty in her eyes. She chimed something in French and sat in front the flowerbed.

The ten minutes between leaving the camp and finding the flowerbed allowed Nate to feel more comfortable around the little girl. He kept telling him she had to be real; the little girl was too vivid to be a hallucination. Doubts, however, lingered on in his mind.

"You can help me make the bouquets if you want." The little girl said.

**(o) Pick flowers**

There was nothing else to do. Nate sat down and plucked flowers out of the ground.

"We are going to make…" She paused and counted in French. "Trois- _three_ bouquets for the others, one for maman, one for you and… wait, what is your name?"

"The name's Nate. And you're rude for not asking me that earlier." Nate joked.

"But you never asked me for _my_ name." The little girl pouted.

"Hey, you greeted me. You're supposed to ask first." Nate said.

"…Okay." There was a pause, which was no doubt used for mentally revisiting the lessons she learned, before she spoke again. "My name is Cecilia Bonnet. You can call me Sissy. I am five years old."

| Okay Sissy |  
**| That's a terrible name |**  
| You're young |  
| … |

Nate snickered. "That's a terrible name!" The little girl's pout returned.

"No it is not! _You are mean."_ Sissy complained.

"Sure it's not, Sissy Boner." Nate said.

Sissy crossed her arms. "I am not making _any_ bouquets for you or anyone you came with if you keep being mean!" She announced this as if it were the worst punishment that could ever be inflected on a person. Nate gasped and oohed. "Yeah, that is _right!"_ She continued; the sarcasm lost to her.

"Okay, okay." Nate raised his hands in 'defeat'. "I'm _sorry."_ The little nod and smile she gave him made him know he was forgiven for his rudeness. Uncrossing her arms, she picked up more flowers.

"Who did you come with?" Sissy asked.

**| Charlie and Vaughan |**  
| Two of my friends |  
| People |  
| … |

"Charlie and Vaughan." Nate told the girl. He handed the girl a small bundle of flowers. "They're both friends of mine." She put his bouquet in her basket. Nate couldn't recall her having a basket when he first met her.

"Are they your _best_ friends?" She asked.

| No |  
| Yes |  
**| We are now |**  
| … |

"…I guess we are now." Nate said after a moment. "Yeah, we are. You can't go through shit like that without really liking or hating the people who went through it with you." He couldn't speak for Vaughan or Charlie though, and wondered how they felt about him in return.

"I do not know how my friends in France are doing." Sissy told him. "They are probably wondering why I am not at daycare." Nate arched an eyebrow at her. So she was under the assumption that France was unaffected by the apocalypse? Nate didn't comment on it. Children were generally dumbasses so it didn't surprise him. He wondered if Vaughan felt the same way about Japan. The younger man did have his moments of dumb hope.

"I have a boyfriend!" She continued. Nate made a 'pfft' sound.

"Oh really?" He said to the five year old.

"Yeah! We were dating for a week before maman and I came here! I used to have a girlfriend too."

"_What?"_

"Yeah. But we broke up because I got bored and she is a poo."

"Okay… are you getting bored of your boyfriend?"

"Uh-huh. I am going to break up with him when I get back to France."

Nate laughed. "Shit! Not even ten and already a heart breaker. Good for you kid."

"…I _actually_ have a boyfriend!" Sissy sounded indignant, assuming Nate was laughing out of disbelief.

"Ya-huh." A shit-eating grin stayed unashamedly plastered onto his face.

"We_ go _on _dates!"_ She was going to get wrinkles if she kept frowning so hard.

"Yessum, I'm sure ya do." He was still being sarcastic, but once again Sissy thought he was sincere.

"If you are nicer, then you can date as much people as I have!" This matter of fact statement from Sissy caused Nate physical pain in the attempt to hold his laughter in. Feeling like he was going to explode, Nate nodded at the advice. She decided to change the subject. "Which one of your friends is sick?"

The smile faltered. "Vaughan is. He has brain cancer." He tossed a bouquet into the basket.

"Woah. That is really bad!" The little girl gasped. She put another bouquet into the basket. "My maman has AIDS."

"…Fuck." Nate said. There was no way the mother was going to live for very long outside of the camp. It was amazing she managed to survive as long as she had.

"She takes a bunch of pills so she does not feel bad. Maman was on her last few bottles just before we got to the camp." Sissy said "Where is your family? Do you know?"

| I don't know |  
**| I don't care |**  
| Is all your family in France? |  
| … |

"I don't fuckin' care where they are." Nate grumbled. Sissy gawked at him. It looked like she wanted to ask him why, but decided against it and said something else.

"…Maman does not like her family either." Sissy said. "She told me that grand-père likes to drink too much- I do not know why drinking too much water is a bad thing- and grand-mère is really mean. So she does not talk to them. She does like oncle Guatier and tante Hana though." She placed two more bouquets in the basket. Nate's hand froze over a flower.

"What?" His voice was strained. He spoke too quietly for her to hear.

"They had a baby!" She continued. "I have seen pictures and the baby is _so cute!_ That is why we came to Amérique, to see the baby. Oncle Guatier was supposed to pick us up at the airport, but the Morts came before he got there and we had to run away. Maman said that we were going to go to his house anyways, but then her pills started to run out. Then we came here. I hope I can see them soon." She put another bouquet in the basket.

She was related to the baby, that's why she looked so much like her. Sissy wasn't a guilt-induced hallucination. Or maybe she was. What if he made her related to the baby to give himself an explanation for why they looked alike? The little girl kept talking but Nate couldn't hear her. He lowered his arm into his lap and stared at the flowerbed.

"Oh hey! There is a man over there." Sissy said. She stood up. "Maybe he would like some flowers too." She placed the last small bouquet in the basket and stood up. Nate glanced at her. Her dress swayed back and forth as she walked on the dirt path around the flowerbed. He closed his eyes. When he got back to the camp, he was going to his truck and drinking until he couldn't see straight. He didn't give a fuck about turning himself into a drunked idiot. He had to deal with nightmares when he slept but there was _no reason_ why he needed to deal with them during the day too. He-

A high pitched shriek filled the air. Nate's eyes shot open.

"Nate! _Help!"_ Sissy cried. He heard groaning in between Sissy's screams.

**/!\ Save Sissy!**

Nate leaped off the ground and sprinted towards the cries. His mind raced with him.

_I'm not going to save her I'll _

_be too slow This isn't _

_happening I'm _

_asleep I'll see Anya and Guatier _

_and Hana Then I'll see a hospital The _

_flowers The zombie The _

_baby._

Nate skid to a stop. He found them. Sissy was wailing in French. She'd fallen down. She wouldn't or couldn't get up. The psycho advanced on her. Its stench polluted the air. The monster leaned down, reaching for her feet.

Three words flashed through his mind- _no, not again_- before his brain transformed into a hot, thick cube of instinctual action and rage.

**(o)**

Nate roared. He charged at the monster. The thing looked up. He lunged forward, grabbing the psycho around the stomach. They both hit the ground. Sissy screamed. Nate sat up, forcing himself on top of the monster. It hissed at him.

**(o)**

Nate punched it in the face. Its head whipped to the side, cheek hitting the ground it laid on with a dull thud. Sissy stood up on shaky legs behind him.

**(o)**

Nate punched it again. Black blood poured out of its nostrils.

**(o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o)**

He used both fists to beat the monster. Left, right, left, right; all his anger went into the punches, the force driving his actions increased with each blow. Pain traveled through his bones and ignited his muscles. The ache only edged him on. This psycho had been the one to kill the baby, and he was going to make it pay. Never mind that this one was male and the one at the hospital was female, never mind that it had been _his_ fault. He would beat it until it stopped moving.

The psycho let out one last snarl before it was silenced by another punch. A sigh that sounded disconcertingly human passed its lips before it stilled. Nate kept his arm in a striking position and waited for the thing to move again. It didn't.

Gravity forced his arms down. His hands fell into his lap. They were red and beginning to bruise. Flecks of decayed flesh and gore glued some fingers together. They reeked of death.

An odd feeling bubbled in his chest. It traveled up into his throat, making the corners of his lips turn up and his shoulders shake. It rose and rose until it grasped its hard hands around his brain and escaped through his mouth. And then he laughed. Nate wasn't sure what was so funny, but he knew there was a joke somewhere in this situation. Didn't matter. It was hilarious. Everything was hilarious.

A whimpering sound, thick but quiet, caught his attention. Nate turned to the noise. The laughter died down but a wicked grin stayed on his face. Tears poured down Sissy face, eyes wide as she stared at Nate.

| What's wrong? |  
**| You're safe now |**  
| Impressed by my skills |  
| … |

"Sissy, what's wrong?" Nate asked. "You're safe now. No need to be a little bitch about almost dyin'. I _saved_ you." His smile widened. He could feel the savage glint in his eyes. Sissy balled her small hands into fists. She pressed her arms tight against her chest as if protecting her heart from the man in front of her.

"V-vous me faites peur." Her lips trembled as she whimpered this.

| I'm sorry Sissy |  
**| I scare me too |**  
| You need to grow up |  
| … |

"I know." Nate told her. "I scare me too." His smile dropped. The intensity in his eyes faded away. Sissy noticed the abrupt change but stayed wary of him.

**(o) Hug Sissy**

His arms weighed him down with the promise that sitting there, on top of the psycho with its blood on his hands, would be better than doing anything else. Nate stood regardless. He walked until his shadow fell over Sissy. The little girl started to shake but didn't move away from him. Nate knelt down in front of her. He wrapped his arms around the little girl; one hand resting on her shoulder, the other on top of her head, both tainting her clothes and hair with dark blood and the smell of rot. Sissy flinched.

"Sorry." He said into her ear. "I'm _sorry_, okay? I fucked up." The little girl's body shook harder. She grabbed onto Nate's jacket and bawled into his chest. He stroked her hair, spreading lines of dark guck through the strands, until she calmed down.

**(?) You comforted Sissy**

When she stopped crying, Nate pulled away from her. She looked more miserable than she had before. Nate wasn't surprised. He had that effect on people. Still, thanks to the power of infantile optimism, Sissy was slowly recovering from the evitable toll of being around Nate for too long.

"We should go back to the camp before anyone notices that we're gone." Nate told her.

Sissy nodded. "Okay." She said. Nate squeezed her shoulders briefly and stood up. Sissy took hold of his soiled hand.

"Let's get your basket and go." Nate said. Sissy nodded again. They walked forward.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
C'est lui l'agresseur  
—

* * *

No one rushed up to them when they returned to the camp. No one asked where they had gone, why they didn't tell anyone they were going, or why a grown man had run off with a child for almost half an hour. No one had noticed that they left, it seemed.

Nate looked around. The visitors were in various parts of the camp. The green-haired woman walked into one of the guest tents, and another woman was talking to the red-eyed man. He couldn't see the green-haired woman's father from where he was.

"You should give everyone the bouquets now." Sissy said.

"_Me?"_ Nate asked.

"Oui." Sissy chimed.

"I thought _you_ were going to do it." He didn't like this. His trepidation over her existence, or lack thereof, was growing. He had hoped seeing her interact with others would erase that unease. But if she wouldn't talk to anyone else…

"Well you thought wrong." She smiled, dimples sinking into her cheeks.

**| Why? |**  
| Do it yourself |  
| I still don't know if you're real |  
| … |

"Why don't _you_ do it?" He asked.

"I am shy." She said.

"You talked to me after seein' me beat up two people!"

"…I am shy."

"You're also a little shit."

"Please Nate? Pleeeeeease?" Though her baby eyes weren't convincing him to do as she said, Nate felt that not doing it would equate to him being afraid. Which meant he had to do it to prove that he wasn't. God damnit.

"…Fuckin' fine." Nate sighed.

Sissy beamed. "Merci!" She placed two bouquets in his resigned, but now clean, hands. "I mean, thank you."

"Whatever." Hallucination or not, dealing with the little girl for a while longer wasn't going to hurt him. And giving flowers to compete strangers wouldn't be too bad either, even if it'd make him look a bit gay. He walked towards the tent the green-haired woman went into, Sissy skipping beside him.

**(o) Look at tent**

The tents were the same as the patients', only blue instead of green.

"Now I can see how big they are on the inside." He said to himself.

"They are reeeeeally big!" Sissy exclaimed. She stretched her arms to either side of her to show how big they were.

Nate rolled his eyes. "You're tiny, of course you think it's huge." He told her.

She frowned and dropped her hands back to her sides. "I am not tiny!" She pouted.

"Of course you're not, Baguette." Nate said.

**(o) Open tent**

"Good luck!" Sissy said as Nate grabbed hold of the tent flap. He shot her an irritated look. She smiled back up at him. Nate was sure throwing flowers at Pissy Bonbon children was not considered child abuse, but decided it wasn't worth the effort and went inside the tent.

The green-haired woman sat on a folding bed, reading a comic book. She looked even more youthful closer up. Nate thought she might have turned twenty recently.

"Hé Papa-" The woman looked up at Nate and paused. "Oh… um, hello… hat man." She cringed, and Nate could see her mentally berating herself over the word choice. _"Hat man? _Wow that was really lame. God, ew."

"S'alright, green-haired lady." Nate said. The woman pushed her dreads from behind her ears and smiled at him.

**(o) Give flowers**

"Got somethin' for ya." Nate handed her one of the small bundles of flowers. The woman got off from the bed and took it from him.

"Oh it's so _cute!"_ She beamed. "Thank you." She took a large clip out of her hair and pinned it back in place with the flowers attached.

"It wasn't my idea. A little shit- I mean girl- made them and wanted to give them to people. She won't do it herself though, cuz she's _shy." _With someone as attractive as the woman in front of him, Nate would've been tempted to lie about the source of the flowers; make it seem like he made it and get more 'tap that' points. But he wanted confirmation that he wasn't the only person that could see Sissy.

"Cute and humble." She said. That… was a very good response but not the one he was hoping for. "I'm Roxane by the way."

"Nate." He returned.

"Nate…" She liked the way his name felt in her mouth. "So, Nate, why did you beat those two guys up earlier today?" The tone of her question was playful and lacked judgment.

| Do you think I shouldn't have? |  
| I was bored |  
**| Someone had to |**  
| … |

Nate shrugged. "Someone needed to stop'em from fightin', and your old man wouldn't let ya so I thought I could step in and do it myself." Nate said causally.

"Oh how _awesome_ of you." Roxane giggled.

"I do what I can to keep the peace." He said. Nate eyes fell to her chest for a moment before looking back at her eyes.

"I'm sure you do." Roxane said. She placed a hand on his arm. Nate's smile grew. He hadn't expected to get lucky when he came to the camp, but it seemed likely now.

"_You two are so cute!"_ Sissy's voice came from the door flaps of the tent. Nate turned in time to see her hair fly back outside. A high pitched giggle followed. Nate looked at Roxane to gage her reaction, because she _had_ to have heard that, but nothing on her face gave away that she did.

**| Are you from France? |**  
| About your hair… |  
| Who are you staying for? |  
| Exit |

"Didja come here from France too?" Nate asked.

"Too?" She asked.

"Sissy, the little girl, she said she came from France." He said.

"Oh." Roxane shook her head. "Quebec. I'm from Canada."

| How's Quebec like? |  
| You're accent sounds different |  
**| Eh? |**  
| … |

"_Eh?"_ He teased. The black woman's expression went from playful to annoyed in seconds.

"I _knew_ it! I knew you were going to say 'eh'!" Roxane complained. She waved a finger at him. "Not all Canadians say 'eh'!"

Nate raised his arms into the air. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He said. "So why are you in America?" The young woman put her finger down.

"Vacation." She told him. "My family was driving to Florida when everything went to hell. We stopped at a mall when the freaks came and started eating people. Everyone panicked and tried to get out… I lost sight of my mom." She wrapped her arms around herself. "She got caught in one of the crowds and went a different direction than us. Dad thought she was behind him the entire time, and it was so loud in the mall that he couldn't hear me tell him that mom was gone. He didn't know until we got out. We still don't know where she is." Roxane bit her lip. She looked off to the side of the tent. Before Nate could think of comforting her, Roxane's downcast demeanor lifted. She smiled at him and Nate returned it.

"I'm sure you've been out of the country right?" She asked, changing the subject. "After all, models do have to work abroad sometimes." She paused before covering her face with her hands. "That was lame, that was _so lame_ I'm sorry."

Nate chuckled. "I don't mind." He was going to get laid, no question about it.

"I'm usually so much better at this, _oh my god."_ She moved her hands down. If her skin was lighter, Nate was sure he would've been able to see her blushing.

"It's cute." He said.

"Thanks." She said. "I try to be cute when I'm not being a lame ass." They both laughed at this.

"No, I've never been outside the country." Nate told her once they calmed down. "The closest thing I have to experiencing any 'out of the country' is Vaughan."

"Vaughan?" Roxane asked.

"A friend of mine. He's the sick one I'm with." Nate said.

"Okay. How did you meet?" She asked.

**| Tell her long version |**  
| Tell her short version |

Nate began. "My brother was a part of an exchange program when I was eighteen. He chose to go to Japan and switch places with some Japanese kid for half the year. Vaughan was that kid. Though he didn't go by his English name at the time. He went by… Renkiyu or some shit like that."

"Anyways, Renkiyu was a timid ass kid who couldn't really speak English. I didn't care much for him but I though his accent was funny and would tell him a whole bunch of lies just to get a good laugh. Yeah, I'm an asshole."

"After a month and a half though, I started to really like him. I reversed most of the damage I did from telling him all that stupid shit and we became friends. I don't know _how_ we became friends, our personalities ain't similar at all, but somehow it worked. It still works now, I think."

"When the six months were up I was actually kind of sad to see him go. I drove him to the airport and stayed with him for as long as I could. When he was leavin', he told me that he wanted to live in America but he needed an English name. Since he couldn't think of any he wanted me to give him one. I wasn't fucking prepared for that and he was being rushed to the plane, so just blurted out the first name that came to my head."

"Four years later some random ass Asian guy knocks on my door and tells me that he hasn't seen me in a long time. I look at him like he's crazy because I have no idea who he is. He introduces himself as Vaughan and I still don't know the fuck that is and I tell him so. Then he introduces himself again as Renkiyu and tells me that he took Vaughan as a name for himself after I called him that at the airport."

"For a few seconds after he says this I _still_ didn't remember who he was; I never kept contact with him after he left- I don't do long distance _anything_ very well- but then it clicks and holy shit I was so happy to see him. I let him in my house, we talked, and we kept in contact with each other."

"Wow." Roxane said. "…So what's he sick with?"

"He has brain cancer." He told her.

"Oh… that sucks." She said apologetically.

**| Yeah |**  
| 'That sucks?' |  
| Are you sick? |  
| … |

"Yeah." He murmured. Vaughan was going to get help now; there was no need for him to dwell on it.

**| About your hair… |**  
| Who are you staying for? |  
| Exit |

Nate gestured to her head. "When didja find the time to dye your hair in all of this?" He asked.

"I didn't." Roxane told him. "I dyed it before we left for Florida. When I dyed my hair, dad was so mad. He wanted me to _shave it off._ Can you _believe_ that? So I said, 'Fuck off dad! You can tell me what to do!'" She paused "…Okay that's not true, I never said that. I respect my father. Sometimes. I did _think_ it though."

"He shouldn't be so mad, you'll have to cut it all the green off when it gets too long." Nate said.

"That's what _I_ told him. He didn't give a shit." She said. "You can't cut off my hair man. I'm like Samson. You cut it off; I'll lose all my strength and wither away."

"And we wouldn't want that." Nate said.

"No, we wouldn't." She smirked.

| You look good with green hair |  
**| Stepdad's aren't understanding |**  
| There's nothing you can do |  
| … |

"Stepdads ain't always the most understanding." He told her.

"What?" Roxane asked. She squinted at him. "No, he's my actual dad."

"Really?" Nate did his best to sound surprised. "I didn't know. You're just so much better looking than your dad I thought you weren't related." The confused look vanished from her eyes. She bit her lip and smirked at him.

"_Awww!"_ Sissy cried. This time Nate was too slow to see the brat disappear. He frowned. He was now less concerned with the possibility of Roxane being unable to see Sissy and more irritated that he wouldn't get any if the little girl kept poking her head in. The woman's interest in him didn't seem like it would wane soon however, so maybe this wouldn't be a problem. Still, a dumb part of him was starting to hope that Sissy wasn't real so he could get some action.

**| Who are you staying for? |**  
| Exit |

"Who're you staying here for?" Nate asked.

"My little sister." Roxane said. "She's been sick for two weeks now and we don't know what's wrong with her. She has stomach pains, she feels full even when she hasn't eaten for a long time, she's lost a lot of weight, and she throws up quite a bit. Sometimes there's _blood_ in it." She grimaced. "I hope the doctors can figure out what's making her so sick, but I don't know how they're going to do that without any machines."

"They don't got machines?" He asked. It made sense. It'd be nearly impossible to acquire and maintain machines from hospitals. However, it would make the doctors' jobs much harder and that worried him. How where they going to find out how big Vaughan's tumor was now? How were they going to take it out?

"Not that I've seen." Roxane sighed. She looked at the ground. "Dad's really stressed out about sis being sick… But I'm sure she'll bounce back! Things like this don't hold her down for long." She smiled; it faltered for a few seconds but she kept it strong.

**| Exit |**

"Is your old man going comin' back soon?" Nate asked. 'Do I have time to go down with you?' was the unspoken question.

"He's going to come in any moment now." There was a touch of disappointment in Roxane's voice. "You should probably leave before he gets back. He'll find it sketchy that I'm talking to a stranger away from everybody else." Nate took hold of her arms and pulled her closer. Roxane gave a throaty chuckle as the gap between them shortened. He heard Sissy giggle and ignored it.

"I'm still a stranger to you?" Nate's voice was low. Roxane grinned, biting her lip. She gave her head a little shake.

"Of course not." She chimed. Roxane curled her fingers into his shirt. "But-"

"What the _fuck_ are you doing!?" A voice boomed from the entrance of the tent. Nate and Roxane turned towards the voice. A burly, tall, partially balding black man stormed towards them. The two of them let go of each other at once.

| Nothing |  
**| Chill out man |**  
| I was just leaving |  
| … |

"Chill out man, I was just talkin' to your daughter." Nate said. Roxane gulped, which wasn't encouraging.

"You were trying to do more than that, you pedophile!" The dad hissed.

"…Pedophile?" Nate echoed. The confusion in him only lasted until he remembered the little girl waiting outside of the tent. Said little girl was very quiet now, no doubt due to angry black man in the tent. Nate assumed the father saw him leave the campgrounds with Sissy and thought Nate had done something to her. The father might have left Roxane alone so he could chase after them. Nate frowned. He never touched Sissy, and he was about to tell him that when the father continued to scream.

"She's only _sixteen_, you sick fuck!" The father raged. This man needed glasses. Sissy wasn't sixteen. Nate opened his mouth to tell the man that when he realized that it wasn't Sissy the man was referring to. It was Roxane.

"_What?"_ Nate gawked at Roxane. The teenager looked away. He was flirting with her and she was only sixteen. He was planning to sleep with her and she was only sixteen. He could have accidentally gotten her pregnant if he did sleep with her, and _she was only sixteen._

"…I'm going to be seventeen soon." Roxane told him. Nate groaned, dragging his hands down his face. The father grabbed Roxane's arm and roughly pulled her away from Nate.

"Don't give me that bullshit!" The father growled at him. "You knew how old she was!"

| No I didn't |  
| I'm not a pedo |  
**| Calm down |**  
| … |

"Calm your ass down." Nate snapped. He didn't need to take this shit, he didn't do anything wrong.

"Calm down!?" The father barked. "You're going to take advantage of my daughter!"

"Dad, stop!" Roxane said. "This is my fault! I-"

"Like hell it is! I won't let you cover for this pervert!" The father said.

**| This is your daughter's fault |**  
| This is my fault |  
| Stop yelling at me |  
| … |

"_Your_ daughter didn't tell _me_ that she was underage," Nate said defensively. "Maybe _you_ should've taught her _not_ to hit on _adults."_ He wanted to hit the man, it didn't matter that the father had a good reason to be irate, he wanted to hurt him for accusing him of being a pedophile and screaming at him for no goddamn reason. Roxane looked at her father, guilt spreading across her features. The father didn't even glace at her. His eyes stared at Nate as if he were trying to liquefy his skull. The man raised his arm and shot it towards Nate's face.

_Good._

Nate ducked. The man's arm swept the air above his head. Roxane backed away from the both of them.

"Arrêtez!" She yelled. They ignored her.

**(o)**

Nate rammed his fist into the man's stomach. He grunted but was otherwise unaffected. The man grabbed Nate's arm. Nate pulled but couldn't get free. The man raised his other arm and brought it forward.

Nate pulled his body to the left. The man stumbled forward when he missed his target, but did not let go of Nate's arm. Catching his balance, he roared and aimed for Nate's face once more.

**(o)**

Before the father could attempt to hit Nate again, Nate punched him in the nose. There was a loud crack. Blood flowed freely from the man's nostrils. The father screamed and doubled over. He let go of Nate's arm and cupped his nose.

"Dad!" Roxane shrieked.

**(o)**

Nate shoved the man. He fell onto his back. The father turned onto his side, still cupping his broken nose. His daughter ran to him, fussing over him in French.

**(?) You fought Roxane's father**

"Here ya go asshole." Nate flicked a bouquet at him before leaving the tent.

* * *

He didn't want to talk to any more people. The day had been crap so far and all he wanted to do was get drunk and pass out in his truck. Was that too much to ask? It was concerning that his ability to deal with bullshit was wearing away, but what was more concerning was the fact that he wasn't shitfaced yet.

"Are you hurt?" Sissy asked. Her eyes were wide and misty.

**| I'm good |**  
| What do you think |  
| Don't worry about it |  
| … |

"Nah, I'm good kid." He told her. "Can't say that about the other guy though."

"Okay." She said. "Um… are we going to give the rest of the flowers to the others?" She looked down at the basket. Nate wanted to say no. He wanted the little girl to leave him alone. Yet it still felt like he would be running away from her if he refused. Running away from what she reminded him of.

"Sure kid." Nate sighed. Sissy grinned and held his hand. It didn't matter how irritating the day had been, he would _not_ run away from a little girl. The other woman and the red-eyed man were still talking to each other. Nate walked towards them.

**(o) Look at red-eyed man**

The red-eyed man lounging on the grass was in his mid-twenties. His oversized shirt of some band Nate didn't know was covered in ash from his joint. He inhaled the joint, held it, and snorted the smoke out. He gave a lopsided smile to the woman standing in front of him. She didn't return it.

The woman was the same doctor who had yelled at Donald and the other doctor earlier that day. Her body was tense and she kept frowning at the hash in the man's hand. She tapped her foot on the ground, waiting for a response to whatever she had said before.

"So my drug dealer gave me this really awesome deal," the red-eyed man slurred. "And it was 'two for one weed'. Great, yah? But it turned out that he was selling me the one joint for the price of two. It took me like a month to figure it out, and when I did I was pisssssssssed off lady. So I went to get my money back, and dead cannibal people were eating the dude. Then I was like 'dude'… and took as much weed I could and ran my ass off. So…" He inhaled the joint. "So the moral of the story is…" He blew the smoke out. "Don't take two for one deals from your drug dealer."

"That answered _none_ of the questions I asked!" The woman complained. "How high are you?" The woman only tensed up more as the man let out a long string of nasally, inebriated laughter.

"Maybe." He answered.

"Oh my _God."_ She groaned. The woman rubbed her eyes like it would erase the stupidity before her. Nate grinned.

**(o) Talk to red-eyed man**

The pothead took notice of Nate and laughed.

"Hey, it's the crazy dude!" The man cheered. _"Hi crazy dude!"_ He made punching motions in the air.

"Name's Nate." He told the man.

"Nate as in Nathan, or Nate as in Nathaniel?" He asked. Before Nate could reply, the woman spoke up.

"Can you help me with him?" She asked. "I'm trying to get him to stop smoking that _crap_ but he won't listen to me." She gestured to the joint and the smoke around him.

"Lady, I am a sensitive soul, yah?" He told her. "I can't deal with this apocalypse shit. I _need_ this 'crap' all the time so the bad energies of life don't mess me up." He wiggled the join in between his fingers.

"There are _children_ here. There are _sick people_ here. They don't need this shit in their lungs!" The woman argued.

"Weed is natural." The pothead told her. "It's not going to hurt anybody. Like Bob Marley said, 'yah mon'." He drew in the joint.

"…What?" The woman groaned. "What did that last part have to do with anyt- No. I give up. _You_ deal with him." She directed the last part at Nate.

"Huh?" But the woman stormed off before Nate could get an answer as to why he was suddenly in charge of dealing with this high manchild. Not that he really minded. This could turn out to be fun.

The man snorted more smoke out of his nose.

**(o) Give flowers**

"Hey Sissy-" Before Nate could ask Sissy to give the pothead the flowers, she hid behind his legs. "…God damn it."

"Hmmmm?" The man looked up at him. Nate sighed and took a bouquet out of the basket.

"Hey man, want one?" He asked. The man grinned.

"Thanks dude." He said. Nate dropped it into his open palms. The man stared at the flowers intently. Nate was under the impression that he somehow already forgot how the flowers got into his hands. The man shook his head, looked away from the flowers, and reached under his shirt. Nate heard him unzip something. The man pulled out a pocketknife. He stabbed a hole into his shirt. He then placed the stems through the hole and put his knife away.

**(o) Talk to red-eyed man**

"What's your name?" Nate asked.

"Jude." He said. Jude tapped the grass beside him. "Sit dude, sit." Nate hesitated for a fraction of a second before sitting down. Sissy sat beside him. The smell of weed wafted intensely off of Jude. Nate was sure people could get high just by smelling him. Nate thought that the smell would bother Sissy but she didn't react to it. Was she used to the smell, he wondered, or was it because she wasn't really there? Jude reached under his shirt again, unzipped something, and pulled out another joint.

"You want one?" He asked Nate. He waved the hash in front of him.

**| That's okay |**  
| Sure |  
| I don't want that shit |  
| … |

"That's okay. I'd rather not." Nate told him. Jude put the joint back under his shirt.

"It's all good dude." Jude reassured him. "You got to do what you got to do to climb mountains and shit right?"

"…What?" Nate asked.

"Yup." Jude said. Nate chuckled and shook his head. It was going to be very interesting to maintain a conversation with him.

**| How are you still alive? |**  
| About your weed… |  
| Who are you staying for? |  
| Exit |

"How the fuck're you still _alive?"_ Nate asked. "Either ya got someone takin' care of your ass or you have an incredible amount of dumb luck." Nate bet it was the former.

"I'm an Olympic runner." Jude answered. Nate didn't understand how Jude's response related to his question at first. When he got it, he didn't believe him. Jude looked like a basement dweller, but skinnier and with less acne. He couldn't imagine the pothead winning awards for anything, let alone running in the Olympics. His expression must've given that away, because Jude felt compelled to explain himself.

"It's _true."_ Jude said. "I got silver medals for the 400-meter dash. Whenever I see cannibals I run like hell, take a smoke break, and keep on running. It kept me alive so far dude."

| I don't believe you |  
| You're by yourself then? |  
**| Run and smoke? |**  
| … |

"You're not supposed to run and smoke." Nate told him.

"Yeah, I'd probably get bronze medals now." Jude agreed. "When my coach found out that I was doing drugs he was _so pissed."_ He laughed for thirty seconds straight. "I think he's dead now." Jude took another drag from his joint. A comfortable silence followed. Nate felt relaxed, though he wasn't sure if it talking to Jude had altered his mood or if he was feeling the effects of breathing in the smoke. Either way, this conversation was the least stressful thing that had happened to him that day.

**| Talk |**  
| Stay quiet |

"Vaughan's coach was very anal about makin' sure none of the trainees took drugs." Nate said.

"This Vaughan dude's an Olympian too?" Jude asked. He exhaled smoke.

"I think he would've been if he'd agreed to be one earlier, but he did train for a few months." Nate told him. "The coach had seen him in competitions and wanted him to train under him and join the Olympics, but Vaughan didn't want to. But this man wouldn't take no for an answer. Every time he saw him the coach would ask him to accept his offer."

"He was a real pain in the ass for Vaughan, but it was because of him that Vaughan was able to meet his girlfriend, the coach's daughter. He didn't want the coach to find out that he was datin' her because then the man really wouldn't leave him alone, but after a few years of trying to hide it the coach found out and made Vaughan train under him." Jude nodded as if he had heard stories like that many times before. Nate thought Jude might have if he was telling the truth about being a professional runner.

"Why'd he quit?" Jude asked.

"He's got brain cancer." Nate told him. The pothead's red eyes grew large. He reached under his shirt and pulled out another joint.

"Dude. Take my weed for your friend." Jude insisted. "I heard cancer patients need it, yah?" He tossed in into Nate's lap before he could refuse.

"…Thanks." He remarked. It would be funny to see Vaughan's reaction when he gave it to him.

**| About your weed… |**  
| Who are you staying for? |  
| Exit |

"How much hash do you have?" Nate asked.

"I have a crap load dude! Keep it all in this fanny pack." Jude told him. "Fanny packs are the bomb." He lifted his baggy shirt. The pack was bulging. Nate laughed. He knew there was a knife in there, but was the rest really weed? It was a miracle the pothead was still alive.

**| That woman wants it gone |**  
| Are you planning to trade it? |  
| I don't think you have enough weed |  
| … |

"That woman wants ya to get rid of it." Nate reminded him. "She was starin' at your joint like she was trying to get lasers to come out of her fuckin' eyes and destroy it."

"Like Wonder Woman." Jude commented.

"Yeah, sure." Nate couldn't bother to correct him. Jude stared thoughtfully at the joint in his hand. The expression on his face gradually changed from serene to unhappy. His shoulders slumped. The pothead lowered his hand and watched the ash drop into his lap.

"I don't want to get rid of my stash dude." Jude told him. "I need to do this to cope, yah? The shit I've seen… if you name it I've probably watched it happen twice at least. My friends, my family, most of them are dead. I saw people getting tortured and murdered and raped, not all of them adults either." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I was on suicide watch a few times, and that was because of shit that happened _before_ the apocalypse. If I were _sober_ for all of this I'd…" Jude shook his head.

"…But we got to relax and let out all out positive out into the world, yah?" He said. Jude opened his eyes and waved his arms around, all depressive thoughts seemingly gone. "It'll fuse together and make an awesome, hot, pure energy lady that'll kick the crap out of the cannibals."

| Smoke away from the camp |  
**| Keep your hash |**  
| [Take weed] |  
| … |

Nate could relate to needing something to take the edge off. He could relate to being unable to cope through willpower alone. Sissy leaned on his side and Nate fought the urge to flinch away from her.

"Keep your hash. Don't let _anybody_ take it from you. If they try, kick their ass." He told the pothead.

**(?) You didn't take the weed from Jude**

"Nah, dude." Jude slurred. "No need to hurt each other. We need to keep the peace. Butterflies and kangaroos and shit." He put the joint to his lips.

**| What? |**  
| Still kick their ass |  
| You're too high |  
| … |

"_What?"_ Nate chuckled. Jude curled his hand into fist and extended it towards Nate. He thought the pothead was trying to punch him very slowly. The thought wasn't threatening but Nate leaned back a bit anyways. The hand stopped halfway between them.

"Bro-fist." Jude said.

**|Bro-fist|**

Nate bumped Jude's fist with his own. Smoke jetted from his mouth as the pothead made an exploding noise when their hands touched. Nate laughed.

**(?) Jude thinks you're a bro**

Sissy giggled with a hand clasped over her mouth. Jude didn't seem to notice.

**| Who are you staying for? |**  
| Exit |

"Who are you stayin' here for?" Nate asked.

"A friend of mine. He's got diabetes." Jude answered.

"That doesn't sound too bad." Nate said. Diabetes was the tamest illness Nate heard of someone having at the camp so far.

"Nah dude." Jude said. "My friend nearly went into a diabetic shock when we got into the camp. He looked _bad_. But the head doctor lady said that she specialized in endocrinology so she'd take care of him every so often."

"Dr. Nāgá said that?" Nate asked. The head doctor specialized in both endocrinology and oncology? Was that possible?

"Pretty cool, yah?" Jude said. "Indian people are great."

**| Exit |**

Without warning, Jude flopped the rest of his body on the ground. Nate thought that the pothead had passed out, but his eyes were still open. Either he was too lazy or too high to sit anymore. Jude placed the joint in his mouth and sighed through his nose. Nate stood up. Sissy grabbed onto his pants and lifted herself off the ground.

"I'll see you later." Nate told the pothead.

Jude responded, but Nate couldn't hear what he said. Something about lobsters and tongues, or snakes and hands. Sissy held his hand and they both walked away, the smell of hash getting fainter as they moved forward.

"Excuse me!" A woman called. Nate stopped and looked at her. It was the same one who was talking to Jude earlier. "Did you take that crap away from him?" She extended her hand before he could respond, already expecting Nate to hand her the bag of hash.

"I didn't take anythin'." He told her. The woman's arm dropped to the inside.

"Why _not?" _She demanded. Sissy hid behind his leg.

| He needs it |  
**| He's harmless |**  
| Because I wanted to |  
| … |

"Lady, the man is harmless." Nate told her. "When's the last time a pothead ever hurt anyone?"

"It's not _him_ I'm worried about." She told him. "It's the weed itself!"

"Well, the weed's harmless too." Nate said. The woman threw her hands into the air, exasperated.

"I can't wait until we get rid of you people." The woman growled. She stormed away from Nate.

"Bitch." Nate murmured. When the woman was out of view, Sissy moved away from Nate's legs.

"Let's go find your friends." Sissy said. Nate nodded and they continued on.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Happy Campers  
—

* * *

Charlie stood erect in bodyguard-like intensity in front of Vaughan's tent. Nate could almost feel the waves of distrust emit off of her whenever a doctor or a worker passed by. He still couldn't grasp why she was so wary of the place. Nothing about the camp felt wrong to him.

When Charlie took notice of Nate, her body visibly relaxed. A change to the disposition she had around him since yesterday. She must really hate this place, he thought. Her eyes fell on the little girl as he drew near, and all her muscles went taut again. _Are you fucking serious? _Her eyes chastised. She snapped her head away from their direction before he could make his own silent rebuttal.

Charlie noticed the resemblance Sissy had to the baby. That meant she could _see _the little girl, right? But why had it taken so long for someone to notice her? What if his mind was only making him think that Charlie was noticing Sissy? What if-

No. Sissy was real. _She was fucking real._ He wasn't hallucinating.

Forcing himself to believe that the issue was solved, Nate wondered if Charlie thought he was going to adopt the little girl. But that was stupid. He didn't have a child shaped hole in him and Sissy already had a mom. Not that Charlie knew any of that. Sissy would be the last child Nate would take care of. He would never go near children ever again after her.

**(o) Give flowers**

Nate had expected the Sissy to hide behind his leg or scurry off somewhere so he'd be forced to give the flowers to Charlie. Instead, and this bothered him for a reason he couldn't explain, she stepped forward.

"Excusez-moi." Sissy said. Charlie looked down at her in barely veiled irritation. "…Wow, you are really pretty." The little girl's apprehension disappeared with this observance. Charlie's look of frustration lifted slightly at the compliment.

"Thank you." The effort she was making to be civil was evident in her voice.

"Would you like a bouquet?" Sissy asked. Charlie looked into the basket as the little girl waved it back and forth.

"Those are too small to be called bouquets." Charlie told her.

"Oh?" Sissy said. She stopped waving the basket and inspected her flowers.

"Whatever." Charlie grumbled. She bent over and plucked one of the bouquets from out of the basket. She stared at it and for a moment Nate thought she was going to throw it away in front of the girl. Instead, she pushed the stems through the hair tie. The flowers brushed against the bun on the back of her head.

"She's very _cute_ Nate." She told him. A death threat went unspoken in her tone.

"Are you two dating?" Sissy asked randomly. "You should kiss!" They both looked down at her with equal expressions of surprise. Nate wanted to ask Sissy why she didn't tell Roxane and him to kiss when she was had been fussing over how cute the two of them were, but then he remembered that Roxane was sixteen and decided not to ask.

**| YOU kiss her |**  
| She'll bite my face off |  
| [Kiss Charlie] |  
| … |

"_You_ kiss her." Nate retorted. He couldn't kiss Charlie. They didn't hate each other, but it was too tense between them to do that. Besides, he wasn't up to getting punched in the face at the moment. Sissy grinned at Charlie. The woman frowned at the little girl.

"Don't touch me." Charlie tone was cold. The little girl stopped smiling.

"Okay." Sissy said. She went back to Nate's side and held his hand. Vaughan wanted to have children, but looking at Charlie frown at Sissy, and the little girl's refusal to meet her gaze, Nate knew that it was for the best that Charlie didn't feel the same way.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

"Feelin' better about this place?" Nate asked.

"Fuck no." Charlie answered quickly. Her voice was hushed. "There's something wrong here but I don't know what. There's definitely somethin' up with Dr. Nāgá." She turned away from him and didn't turn back until she was sure no one was around.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked.

"She smells like a psycho." She whispered. "I think she might've been bitten. Maybe that's why her arm's in a sling; to hide the bite."

"She looked healthy to me." Nate lowered his voice. Sissy frowned at them, either unable to hear what they were saying or unable to understand when their voices were so soft.

"She won't look healthy for long." Charlie insisted.

**| What do you want to do? |**  
| I think you're wrong |  
| We should keep her from Vaughan |  
| … |

Nate sighed. "Let's assume that you're right about this camp and the head doctor. What do you wanna do? We ain't gonna find an opportunity like this again. Vaughan will die if we take him out of here."

"I know." Charlie said.

"_So what do you want to do?"_ Nate repeated. Though he was curious about any alternative plans she might have, Nate wasn't going to make Vaughan leave just because Charlie had a stick up her ass about the place. She looked away from him.

"…I'm thinking about it." Charlie responded her voice at a normal volume again. "I'm fucking… damn it." Nate leaned away from her. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Charlie at a loss for what to do.

| Did you talk to the doctors? |  
| Are we going to get physicals? |  
**| How's Vaughan doing? |**  
| … |

"How's Vaughan doin'?" Nate changed the subject. He expected a simple 'he's fine' or 'he's sleeping'. Instead, Charlie closed her eyes. She breathed in and held it for a few seconds before letting it out. Even before she spoke, Nate knew something was wrong.

"…He had a seizure." She told him. Nate gaped at her.

"_What?"_ Nate asked. "How!? Why!?" Charlie opened her eyes.

"It's stress. Plus the tumour is still growing. Those factors together aren't going to make for very pleasant results Nate." She said this like he was stupid for not figuring that out for himself, for not understanding that cancer didn't stop its destructive path just because the world kept trying to destroy you from the outside. Tumours were not so kind as to wait until life gave you a break.

"Holy fuck." Nate groaned. He cupped his mouth in his hands. They'd been lucky that they found the camp. He didn't know what they would've done if Vaughan had a seizure while they were on the road. Still, this was alarming. Vaughan's brain was deteriorating much faster in the last three days. Did they find the doctors too late? Nate ignored that thought and moved his hands away from his face.

"It was a mild seizure." Charlie murmured. "He'll be fine." She looked at the little girl again. Sissy lightly swung Nate's hand in tune with her own as she sung a French song quietly to herself. It was 'alouette', if Nate was hearing correctly.

"We need to talk about that." Charlie told him.

"About what?" Nate asked.

"That." Charlie said. She pointed a finger at the singing girl. Nate shook his head.

"I don't _want _to talk about 'that'." Nate said stubbornly. Charlie crossed her arms.

"You have to tell me something." She demanded. Nate ground his teeth together.

| You don't want to know |  
**| Like you care |**  
| You sure you want to know? |  
| … |

"Like you care." The dismissal came out more juvenile than intended, but irritation made Nate beyond caring about how he sounded. Shock and anger, both of which bordered on a betrayed look that Nate didn't care for, planted itself on Charlie's face.

**(?) Charlie will remember that**

"What the fuck do you- of course I- Nate, after what happened to Casey I was the _only _one who gave a shit about you." Her voice waved as if her throat wasn't sure how pissed off she was supposed to sound. "For two years-"

Nate cut her off. "Yeah but that was back then. You ain't like that no more. Hell, I'm the fucking worst and even _I_ don't do half the shit you do." Whether or not this was true was irrelevant to the fact that it felt true at that moment. Charlie had always been a bitch; it was just a fact of life. Birds fly, sun shines, and Charlie was a bitch. But lately her behaviour had gotten to the point of being grossly intolerable despite his experience in dealing with her.

Intolerable, because the things she did now didn't amuse him, nor were they things he could brush off or roll his eyes at. And there was no hint of the person who, when he'd wake up in the middle of the night shaking with stinging eyes and a tight throat, would let him bury his face in her chest and hold her. The person who wouldn't protest even though his grip was tight enough to hurt, just run her fingers through his hair and wrap her free arm around him just as tight. All of that was gone, replaced with something colder than cold.

She had always been ice, but it hadn't burned him until now.

"Just fucking tell me Nate." If there was concern in Charlie's voice, he couldn't hear it.

| Hold it in |  
**| Confide in Charlie |**

"I think I might be a psychopath." He blurted out. Maybe it was out of habit that he told her one of his problems, despite having every reason not to.

**(?) You decided to confide in Charlie**

"What?" Charlie said.

"You already know how I felt about…" He paused and looked down at Sissy. She continued to play with his hand, singing and paying no attention to their conversation. "…What _happened_ to Anya. But I barley feel shit for any of the people I've hurt ever since the world went to hell. I hardly cared about what happened to the baby's parents, and I didn't care about the bandits. I know that I should feel bad, but I don't. At the same time, I feel guilty about _not_ feelin' guilty and I don't know how the fuck that works." He paused. "I don't know if Vaughan toldja, but he said he's afraid of losin' his mind."

"Because of his mood swings? That's just the cancer." She replied.

"I know," Nate said. "But even if he was right, at least he has _something_ to lose. I've always been like this."

"Ya don't think you've changed?" Charlie asked.

**| Not by much |**  
| No |  
| Have I changed? |  
| … |

"Not by much." Nate told her. "Yeah, I've been more irritable and it's harder for me to let things go, but it's not the apocalypse that made me stop giving a shit about strangers. I've always been that way. I've just never noticed it until now. I…" He trailed off.

"You what?" She asked.

| I don't know how to change |  
**| I'm terrified |**  
| I think I might hurt you two |  
| … |

"I'm fucking terrified of myself." Nate admitted. "I really am." He thought that must have been the most pathetic thing he had ever said. Charlie uncrossed her arms. She stared into him in an attempt to put value on his admission. Nate stared back, though not as deeply. He was preparing himself for the oncoming lecture on how he should man up and quit acting like an idiot. What fun. Just what he needed after spewing all that bullshit.

"You're not a psychopath." Charlie said.

| You're not a psychiatrist |  
| I'm not? |  
**| You think I'm fine |**  
| … |

"You think there's nothing wrong with me?" Nate asked incredulously.

"_Fuck no,_ I never said that." Charlie told him. "There's plenty wrong with you. Always has been, probably always will be. But you ain't that kind of crazy. Psychopaths don't feel bad about what they've done."

"But I-" He began to say.

"You said that ya feel guilty about not feelin' guilty. That counts." She paused. "You feel guilty about being unable to save the baby, and you wanted to kill me in the bathroom but you couldn't do it. You killed Anya and the bandits with little to no remorse, and you watched me kill the couple without feelin' much either. What do the baby and I have in common that differs from the other people that you hurt or seen hurt?"

| You're both female? |  
| The amount of time spent with me? |  
| I liked the both of you? |  
**| … |**

Nate slowly shook his head. He hadn't given the question much thought, but he didn't want to think about it for too long. Besides, he had no idea what the connection between the baby and Charlie could be. Charlie looked annoyed at his inability to even try to guess, but she answered him regardless.

"Your emotional attachment to us." She said. "You made an emotional connection with the baby, so even though you didn't know her for long, you're bothered by her death. You never connected with the parents of baby so you never felt anything when they died. We can call it… 'selective empathy'. _That _is what's wrong with you. Sound right?"

**| I don't know |**  
| That sounds wrong |  
| I think you're right |  
| … |

"I don't know Charlie." Nate sighed and rubbed his forehead. He thought she might be right, but the whole issue was tiring regardless.

"Sounds right to me." Charlie said. "I'm going to give you one more piece of advice. Take what you're feelin' right now, and hold onto it." It took Nate a moment to register what Charlie was trying to say, but when he did his hand dropped from his head.

"Are you…" Nate couldn't believe what she was saying. "Are you _advocating_ me being a _fucking psychopath?"_ He stared at her like she had gone mad. What kind of horrible advice was that?

"I'm _sayin'_ that you should use whatever's wrong with you to your advantage." She insisted. "So what if you're crazy? So what if you don't care about other people? _Fuck people._ All you need to care about is me and Vaughan. And if someone comes along who happens to be useful, care about them too. But everybody else can go to hell. There is no reason why you should force yourself to extend your empathy to people who don't matter." She said the last part of her sentence looking down at Sissy. The little girl was oblivious to the stare.

"…You want me to be a psychopath." He deadpanned. It didn't matter how she worded it, that was what she was saying.

"I want you _not_ to break." She snapped. Nate's eyes widened. "What? Don't give me that look. I'm concerned about you for the same reason I'm concerned about Vaughan; you're mine too… You can leave now if you want." Nate stared at Charlie. She stared back at him. Sissy stopped singing and was looking at the two of them. He wanted to say something but he didn't know what. In the end he settled for a small nod, which she returned. He and the little girl walked into Vaughan's tent.

* * *

**(o) Look at Vaughan**

He looked smaller and frailer in the folding bed positioned in the middle of the tent. His deep, unlabored breathing hinted at sleep, but unconsciousness had not yet taken hold on the younger man. Vaughan fought against slipping away, his eyes fluttering, closing briefly, snapping open, and fluttering again. Nate walked closer to the bed.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

"Vee." Nate said. Vaughan's eyes focused on the top of the tent, as if he thought the voice had come there, before slowly turning his head towards the older man. His forehead touched the glasses that lay beside him. "Hey man."

"Hi Nate." The croak of Vaughan's voice lacked strength. He smiled softly at him.

"Heard about your seizure." Nate told him. He picked the glasses up and put them in his jacket pocket. He didn't want Vaughan accidentally breaking them.

"Did Charlie tell you?" Vaughan asked.

"Yeah." Nate said.

"It was mild. I'll be okay." His reassurance sounded less dismissive, but no more convincing, than Charlie's had been. "I feel tired though, and my head hurts." He paused. His eyes fluttered. He frowned and kept them open. "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Nate asked.

"You said that you'd find me a doctor… and you found me _multiple_ doctors." Vaughan said. "Sometimes I think I'm dreaming. I can't believe you managed to do this."

| Charlie read the book |  
**| Told you I wouldn't let you die |**  
| You still need to get better|  
| … |

"Toldja I wouldn't let you die of cancer." Nate didn't try to be humble.

"Yes, you did." Vaughan agreed. "I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you." He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he caught sight of the little girl and flinched. Sissy smiled at him.

"Bonjour! I am Sissy." The little girl greeted.

"…Hello Sissy." Vaughan said slowly. "My name is Vaughan." The sight of the girl made him more alert. Nate could tell by the way Vaughan looked at her that he noticed who she looked like too.

"Vaughan!" She repeated.

"Right." He chuckled. "You're _very_ cute."

"You are cute too!" Sissy giggled behind her hand. Vaughan smiled at her before looking up at Nate. His eyes were filled with concern.

"…Do you want to talk about this?" Vaughan asked. Nate groaned. He didn't want to _talk._ He could deal with it on his own. He wasn't alright, far from it, but he wasn't so weak that he needed to unburden his feelings about the baby. Talking about his mental health wasn't hard. Talking about what happened to the baby would be, but it didn't matter because he wasn't going to say a goddamn word. He didn't need Vaughan's help; _he could deal with it on his own._

| Hold it in |  
**| Confide in Vaughan |**

Nate placed a hand over his eyes and laughed. It was a low, stupid, _weak_ sounding laugh.

**(?) You decided to confide in Vaughan**

"Sissy? Could you leave us alone for a bit?" Vaughan asked.

"Okay! I will go visit maman!" Sissy cheered. She let go of Nate's hand and skipped out of the tent. Nate went down on his knees until he was eye level with Vaughan.

"I think I'm crazy and it's freakin' me the fuck out." Nate told him. "But I think that I could have dealt with it. I think over time I would have gotten used to the idea that there's somethin' wrong with me. But then the fucking baby…" He stopped.

Negative emotions clashed in his head, fusing and battling for control. He could feel his mind trying to go blank to stop these emotions, like it had when he first saw the baby die. He stopped himself from becoming emotionless, feeling pathetic for needing to do so. Nothing traumatic was happening to him in that moment, there was no reason for him to be reacting his way. He lowered his head.

"Nate?" Vaughan said. "Look at me."

| Look at Vaughan |  
**| Look away |**

Nate turned his head away. This 'tell me your feelings' crap was ridiculous and needlessly painful. He didn't have to deal with this shit. He should just leave. Vaughan wasn't feeling well and he didn't need to hear his-

With trembling hands, Vaughan cupped Nate's face and gently raised it. The effort used for this action was evident on his face; it was strained like he was lifting weights.

"Nate. You can't keep this in anymore." Vaughan's voice croaked again in an effort to put some force in his words. "It isn't healthy. You need to tell me what's wrong, okay?" Nate nodded. Vaughan let go of his head, exhaled, and waited for Nate to continue.

"… You know I don't hold on to the bad shit that happens to me." Nate began again. "Even when this bullshit apocalypse happened, I was able to take it in stride once the shock of it all went away. But I can't shake this off."

"You can't shake off a person's death." Vaughan told him. "That's not how it works."

| I know |  
**| I should be able to |**  
| Why not? |  
| … |

"I should be able to!" Nate growled. "I did it for everybody else that died! But no, this one fucking baby has to come along and _ruin me!_ I keep on having nightmares man. And in 'em I see how she looked when she died… I'm always standing in front of the pharmacy, and I always want to run away but I can't." He can feel his voice trying to crack. "I just stand there and wait for that _thing_ to come out with her. No matter what else changes in the dream, that part always stays the same. I feel fucking awful about it during the day, and it follows in me in my sleep." He tried to shallow a dry lump in his throat. It wouldn't go down.

"I… I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was that bad." The amount of pity in Vaughan's voice made Nate want to throw something, but it was too busy being miserable to make the effort.

| You know now |  
| Don't pity me |  
**| I want it to stop |**  
| … |

"I just want it to stop." Nate grieved. "I get it. I'm a piece of shit. I fucked up real bad. I _know._ Just fuckin' _stop_ already." He was asking his mind to allow him to move on and, he supposed, he was asking the baby to stop torturing him. Because if there was an after-life then she, if the baby was a she, was using it to get back at Nate for letting her die. He deserved it, he knew he did, but he had enough.

"…What you're feeling right now," Vaughan said after an extended period of silence. "I think you should hold on to some of it."

| Why would I do that? |  
| Fuck no |  
**| The pain? |**  
| … |

"You want me to hold to this painful bullshit?" He demanded. Vaughan shook his head.

"I want you to hold on to the humanity it gives you." Vaughan explained. "I've seen the way you look sometimes. Your eyes get… weird, _crazy_ weird, and you act like you've lost your mind. But that look in your eyes eventually leaves. You always go back to the way you were. I think that as long as you come back, you'll never been too far gone. You can be fixed. But I also think that you need things like the baby's death, things that make you _feel_ for other people, to keep you grounded. Because if you completely lose your ability to empathize with others, then you'll be lost forever."

Lose the ability to empathize? That implied that he had that ability to lose, which he was beginning to believe he never had in the first place.

**| Can't you and Charlie do that? |**  
| That's a horrible idea |  
| I guess you're right |  
| … |

"Can't you and Charlie do that?" Nate hated how weak he sounded. He wanted reach into his throat, tear out his vocal cords, and never speak again. But what Vaughan said disturbed him. He didn't want to rely on the baby's death to be normal.

"Of course we can." Vaughan told him. "Of course."

| That poor baby |  
**| I hate everything |**  
| At least we're safe now |  
| … |

Nate folded his arms on top of the bed and put his head down.

"I hate everything." His groan muffled against the bed.

"I know." Vaughan said. He placed his arm around Nate's shoulders. "I think you'll be okay. Because I'm weaker than you, but I'm okay. And if I can be, then I have no doubt that you will be too." Nate lifted his head until their foreheads touched. "If we try hard, everything will be alright in the end."

| You're gullible |  
| Sure whatever |  
**| We'll have to work hard |**  
| … |

"We're gonna have to work real fucking hard because this world is bullshit." He murmured. Nate felt Vaughan nod. He only half believed the younger man, but it was more than enough hope for him.

Singing could be heard long before Sissy came skipping back into the tent. Nate looked at her, and whatever she saw in his expression made her stop singing and stand still. Vaughan moved his arm away from him and Nate stood. Sissy went back to his side and held his hand.

**(o) Give flowers**

"Would you like a bouquet?" Sissy asked Vaughan.

"I would love one." Vaughan said. Sissy took one from out of her basket and handed it to him. He took the flowers and sniffed them. The little girl giggled.

"Thank you so much." Vaughan beamed. He kept the flowers in his hands.

"You are welcome." Sissy said. Charlie poked half her body through the entrance of the tent.

"Oh, you're still talking." Charlie noted.

"You can come in." Vaughan told her.

"No, I'll wait 'til you're finished talking to your _boyfriend."_ Charlie said. She exited the tent. Sissy's mouth flung open.

"You two are boyfriends?" She cried. Vaughan's eyes grew in size.

"Um, n-" Vaughan tried to explain when the little girl cut him off.

"I have a cousin that has two papas." She told them. "You two should kiss!"

"W-what?" Vaughan stammered. Nate laughed.

**| What's with you and people kissing? |**  
| He'll explode if I do |  
| [Kiss Vaughan] |  
| … |

"What's with you and people kissing?" Nate chuckled.

"Kissing is cute!" Sissy told him.

"What about cooties?" He asked.

"Coo-tees?" She wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"Nevermind." Nate chuckled again. She looked at the two of them expectantly. Nate shook his head at her and she pouted. Vaughan let out a sigh of relief.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

"I never should have yelled at Charlie." Vaughan murmured to himself. "I'm going to apologize to her later…"

"I should go." Nate said. Vaughan nodded. His eyes fluttered again.

"Okay. I'll…" He yawned. "I'll see y…" Vaughan fell asleep before he could finish. Nate looked down at Sissy and put a finger to his lips. The little girl smiled and copied him. They walked out of the tent.

* * *

Shouting from his left caught his attention as he exited the tent. Nate turned. The man the Nate accidentally punched in the throat- Donald, Nate thought, like the duck- stood three meters away with his back to him. Roxane, her father, Jude, Charlie, and a few doctors and workers were standing in front of Donald. He waved his arm at different members of the crowd, their bodies tensing up whenever he pointed at them. Charlie stood at the far right of the man, and when he moved his arm towards her, Nate could see the gun in his hand.

"Shit." Nate hissed.

"What is going on?" Sissy asked.

"Kid, fucking shut up." Nate whispered harshly. Sissy put a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

"You have to get out of here!" Donald said. The gun whipped around with the erratic movements of his hand.

"We can't leave." Roxane told him. "Our family's still here!" She took a step forward. Her father gripped her arm, keeping her from approaching the man.

"Yeah. Relax man." Despite the slurred speech, Jude sounded concerned.

"I'm not going to relax!" Donald yelled. He pointed the gun at Jude. "And neither should any of you! You're all in danger!"

"What do you mean?" Charlie demanded. He pointed the gun at her. She didn't flinch. All of her attention left the gun and focused on Donald.

"These people are all crazy!" Donald said. "They're going to turn you all into zombies!" Shocked murmurs passed through the crowd of people. Sissy gasped. Her hold on Nate's hand tightened.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Roxane's father demanded. Before Donald could continue, the doctor he had fought earlier that day spoke up.

"Donald." The doctor's tone wavered but still held some force. "For the last time-"

"Shut up!" Donald screamed. He aimed the gun him the doctor's direction and the man jumped out of the way. Donald followed his movements. Dr. Nāgá stepped between the two of them. Donald growled at her. The head doctor glanced discretely at Nate before turning her attention back to the worker.

Nate knew he had to act while Dr. Nāgá was distracting Donald. He let go of Sissy's hand and placed a finger to his lips. She copied him, mouth trembling against her hand.

Nate stalked forward, his attention moving back and forth from Donald to the crowd of people. As the others noticed Nate's approach, a silent message passed between them; Nate would take care of the man with the gun, they just had to pretend they didn't see him so Donald wouldn't notice.

"Donald. You are scaring these people." Dr. Nāgá scolded him like she was talking to a misbehaving child and not a man with a gun. "There is no reason for you to act this way. We do our best to help despite the circumstances. And your claims about turning the visitors into undead are-"

"Are what? Untrue?" Donald snarled. "I dare you to say it isn't true. I fucking dare _you fucking bitch!"_ Sweat poured out of his trembling body. Nate was almost behind him. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he reached the man. He could take the gun, choke him and wait for him to pass out, or snap his neck. All options were risky.

"Your claims are false." Dr. Nāgá told him. "We are doing no such thing." The head doctor didn't spare Nate a glance when he finally reached Donald's back. The man shook harder. He stank the air around him with perspiration and fear.

"You cunt." Donald seethed with rage. "I'll-"

(o) Take gun

(o) Choke Donald

**(o) Snap neck**

Nate grabbed Donald's head; one hand squeezing the man's chin and the other on his opposite temple. Donald jerked. He raised his gun towards Nate's head. Nate wrenched his head to the side. A loud crunching sound was heard as Donald's neck broke. His body went limp. Nate let go of his head and the man collapsed to the ground.

**(?) You broke Donald's neck**

A shrill, agonized wailing filled the air. Horrified gasps spread throughout the crowd. Nate was stunned. It was coming from Donald. Why hadn't the man died? Wasn't snapping the neck an instant death?

"_Help me!"_ Donald shrieked. _"I can't move! Fuck! Help!"_ His eyes darted wildly in his head. Nate looked at the crowd. Their eyes were glued on to the sight of the paralyzed, hysterical man. The doctors made no move to help Donald. Nate looked to Dr. Nāgá. She nodded to him, her eyes solemn.

"_Somebody do something!"_ Donald begged.

**(o)**

Nate raised his leg and slammed it down to the side of Donald's head. The man screamed from the impact. He heard the crowd backing away. Someone dry heaved. Nate didn't look at them.

**(o)**

He stomped down again. Sobs interjected themselves amidst the screams. Nate cursed under his breath. How many times was he going to have to do this until he died?

**(o)**

Nate forced his foot down one last time. Donald's skull dented in. The wailing ceased abruptly.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Shoot The Messenger  
—

"Oh God…" Roxane sounded nauseated. She must've been the one dry heaving. She turned to her father and whimpered into his chest. The father stroked her trembling back. He looked at Nate with a mixture of approval and animosity. Jude rubbed his neck to make sure it was still here. Charlie walked to the body. She bent and took the gun lying a few inches from the dead man's hand.

"Charlie, please give me the gun." Dr. Nāgá said. Charlie pat Nate's arm before turning towards the doctor. Dr. Nāgá extended her hand. When they were an arm's length away from each other, Charlie pointed the gun to the doctor's head. The other visitors back away. A few doctors tried to go the head doctor's aid. Dr. Nāgá raised a hand to stop them. They reluctantly complied.

"You need to answer a few of my questions." Charlie demanded. Nate hesitated for a moment before walking up to the two women.

| You better listen to her doc |  
| You're being stupid Charlie |  
**| Don't kill her |**  
| … |

"Charlie, don't kill her." Nate said slowly. Charlie spared Nate an angry glance before looking back at the doctor.

"I won't _have to_ if she _answers me."_ She stressed.

"What would your questions be?" Dr. Nāgá asked calmly. Charlie pressed the barrel of the gun to the doctor's forehead.

"What was that man talking about?" Charlie's voice was tense and loud. "Did you lure us here to turn us into psychos? _Why do you smell like you're dead!?"_ She yelled the last part, all the distrust and suppressed anxiety boiling over into her words. The doctor closed her eyes and sighed. She rubbed her forehead, wrinkles creasing with her thoughts. Charlie tapped the gun against the doctor's forehead and she opened her eyes.

"…I would appreciate it," Dr. Nāgá said. "If you didn't shoot me until after I finished explaining myself." The doctor looked down at her sling. She hooked a finger under the strap on her shoulder and pulled it to the side until it almost off. She then wrapped her hand around where the cloth met the strap, pulled down on it, and uncovered her arm.

Her arm was rotten. Discoloured dark flesh hung off in patches, exposing tendons, muscles, and bone. It reeked of death. Nate jerked back. The other visitors gasped in horror. Charlie unconsciously lowered the gun as she gaped down at the arm. The doctors were unsurprised, but then again they must've known about this.

**| [Pull Charlie away] |**  
| Holy fucking hell |  
| Shot her Charlie |  
| … |

Nate stomped forward. He wrapped his arms around Charlie's stomach and yanked her backwards. Charlie shrieked. Her struggling only paused for a moment when she realized who grabbed her, until she got annoyed and continued to fight against him.

"Let go of me!" Charlie ordered. She elbowed him in the side. Nate hissed but didn't let go.

"Don't stand so close to her, you dumbass!" Nate chastised. The other visitors backed away from the doctor.

"I'm not going to infect any of you." Dr. Nāgá said.

"Damn right you won't!" Nate growled. Charlie gave up struggling. She pointed the gun back at the doctor.

"How… how is that even possible?" Roxane said.

"You've been near my daughter with your arm like that!?" The father was furious. His grip on his daughter tightened. Roxane flinched in pain.

"Dude. _Holy shit."_ Jude slurred.

"If everyone could quiet down for a moment, I'd like to explain myself." Dr. Nāgá sighed. "In the first week of the outbreak, I was bitten. Knowing that the infection would spread to the rest of my body if I did not react quickly, I tied off the arm before it could spread." She rolled up her sleeve. A thick string was wrapped tightly around her arm. The contrast between healthy skin above the string and the undead arm below was dizzying.

"I would like to say that I meant to cut the arm off, but I did not." She continued. "I suffer from apotemnophobia; fear of amputation. This is why my arm is still attached and not…" A very subtle shiver passed through her body. She took a moment to collect herself before moving on. "None of you run the risk of being infected by me. The virus only exists in my arm and as long as it is in a sling you will be protected. Donald didn't believe that, and I can only assume that his thought process made him come to the conclusion that we wanted all of you to be infected. It is possible that he thought I associated myself with the visitors in order to get them sick. However, I assure you that is not the case. I only wish to help others despite my handicap."

"Anymore more questions?" She asked. The doctor rolled her sleeve back down. She covered her arm back up in an almost gingerly fashion before placing the strap back on her shoulder.

| Won't your arm fall off? |  
| Why didn't you say tell us this earlier? |  
**| You're not allowed near Vaughan |**  
| … |

"You ain't allowed near Vaughan, ya hear me?" Nate's tone was dangerously low. "I don't care if the other doctors go near him, but _you_ and your _dead arm_ are goin' to stay the fuck away from him. _Do you understand?"_ The muscles in her face twitched.

"Very well." The doctor said. "I will respect your wishes. If anybody else would like for me to stay away from their wards, please let me know now." No one else spoke up. Dr. Nāgá looked at Charlie. "Do you trust us now?" Nate felt Charlie sigh against him. She hesitantly lowered the gun and wrapped her arms on top of his. Dr. Nāgá looked to the rest of the visitors.

"I know this is a bit much to ask after what just happened, but I would like all of you to do us a favour." The doctor told them. "We are low on the gasoline needed to run our generators. I would like all five of you to go into town and retrieve the gas from abandoned vehicles."

"Alright, we'll go." Charlie spoke up. Nate looked around, expecting the other visitors to protest.

"…We can take my van." Roxane's father said. Roxane smiled.

"I thank you for your cooperation." Dr. Nāgá said. "Please wait here." She walked away. A couple doctors followed her. Nate felt cold metal tap against his arm. Charlie looked up at him, waiting for Nate to let go. He unwrapped his arms from her body and Charlie stepped away.

"It was her." Charlie told him. "She's the reason why this place felt so weird."

| At least we know |  
**| You trust this place now? |**  
| I don't trust her |  
| … |

"You trust this place now?" Nate asked. Her mouth opened, closed, and opened again.

"…I still have my doubts," Charlie admitted. "But they're minor." Two of the doctors placed a sheet over Donald's body. The both watched as the doctors picked the dead man up and take him away. He turned towards Vaughan's tent and saw the little girl walking towards him. Her body was tense with apprehension.

"Is the fighting over?" Sissy whispered as if the danger would come back if she raised her voice. Her shoulders were almost up to her ears. She looked ready to up out of her skin if she saw a gun. Charlie walked away from the both of them, not sparing the little girl a disdainful parting glaze. Nate would've found it more comforting if she had.

"Yeah, it's over." Nate said. "We're gonna leave soon, but we'll be back. And _no_, you ain't comin' with us." Better to crush that frame of thought now before she asked. Sissy's mouth downturned in a way that would've been stupidly over exaggerated on an adult's face but was natural, if still stupid, on a child's.

"I wish I could go…" The little girl whimpered. She lowered her head.

| You'll be safer here |  
| You won't be able to help |  
**| It'll be boring |**  
| … |

"It'll be boring Baguette." Nate told her. There was no reason to bring her along if people could take care of her. The last thing he needed was to see another little girl die.

"I guess so." Sissy murmured. She looked up at him, her lips trembling, when suddenly her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. "Oh! Can you… um…" She wiggled her fingers in the air, stopped, and gave up trying to think of the English word for what she wanted Nate to do. She reached for his pants tugged them, pointing to the ground with her other hand. Nate knelt down.

"Here you go!" Sissy cheered. She took the last bouquet out of the basket. She opened up one of the pockets on Nate's jacket and placed it inside. Sissy pat the pocket down and grinned at him. He'd forgotten that Sissy made one for him, so this came as a bit of a surprise.

**| You can keep it |**  
| I don't want this crap |  
| Thank you |  
| … |

"You can keep it." Nate said. "I don't need one and you don't got none for yourself." It was an instinctive response. His brother had been allergic to flowers, not deathly so but enough to make the kid miserable, and it had been ingrained in him from a young age to refuse them because of that. Not that he had been offered flowers very often or that it mattered anymore.

"That is okay," Sissy told him. "I do not want any flowers. I am allergique." She raised her palms to Nate's eye level. The skin was red and slightly swollen. Multiple tiny bumps covered her fingers and thumbs. Nate was taken aback. He remembered Sissy telling him that she wanted to give everyone flowers, but he never expected her to be self-sacrificing about it. She must have been so uncomfortable, but she never complained. How many children were like that? He opened his mouth to speak when Sissy hugged him. His mouth snapped shut.

"Be careful." Sissy said. Nate felt his fingers slowly comb through her hair and brush her dress on their own.

"We're leaving." Charlie spoke up. Nate opened his eyes. He hadn't been aware that he closed them. The doctors that left with Dr. Nāgá brought gas cans and tubing. The other visitors had already taken them and were making their way to the van. He was still holding the little girl Charlie walked passed them again, equipment in hand, not looking at him or the little girl. He let her go. Sissy beamed at him as he rose.

"Au revoir!" Sissy said. Nate nodded to her. He turned and walked towards the parked cars. As he left, he found himself hoping that he would never see the little girl again.

* * *

Nate took little interest in the area around him. There was nothing new to see. A person could only go to so many towns and cities before they all began to look the same. The abandoned buildings, broken glass, dried blood, dead bodies, and silence; the apocalypse gave everything a unified design no matter how different the architecture of each region was.

"Maybe this car will have gas." Nate said to himself.

**(o) Open gas cap**

Nate flicked the car's gas cap open.

**(o) Feed tubing down**

He forced one end of the clear tubing down the gas tank until he felt resistance. He exhaled, put the tubing to his lips, and sucked in.

**««Q»»**

The only gas Nate got was vapour that tasted exactly how it smelt. He spat the taste away as soon as he moved the tubing from his mouth. The frown on his face was more puzzled than frustrated.

"That's the third car I've tried." Nate muttered. "Maybe the others are havin' better luck than I am." They were all on the same street, standing next to abandoned cars and attempting to steal their gas. The closest person to him was Roxane. He made his way to her.

**(o) Talk to Roxane**

The sixteen year old- she _did not_ look that young; Nate wouldn't have believed it if her father hadn't tried to murder him for trying to tap that- was resting her arms and head against the roof of a car. Her soft groans bounced off the metal. Nate assumed she made herself dizzy trying to get gas.

"Get anythin'?" Nate asked. Roxane's head bobbed as she raised it to look at him. She paused before speaking.

"Um, no. I didn't." Roxane told him. She looked at the gas can, hesitant to meet his eyes. When she did look up again, her stare was cautious and weary. "Did you really have to kill that guy? I know he was threatening us, but that was just…" She touched her neck. _"Awful."_

| I'm sorry you had to see that |  
**| He was going to kill all of you |**  
| You're not interested in me anymore? |  
| … |

"He was going to kill all of you." Nate said.

"Are you sure?"

"By the way he was wavin' that gun around? Yeah, I'm sure."

"Well…" Roxane sighed. "I'm going to go to another car." She picked up her gas can and walked away from him. She gave him a lot of space as she did so. Was she afraid of him now? Nate frowned. It didn't bother him. Much. It was a bit ungrateful of her though; he did save all their lives. At least he wouldn't have to worry about the underage kid hitting on him anymore.

Charlie was the next person nearest to him. He walked to her.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

"You got any gas?" She asked Nate as he approached.

"Not yet." Nate told her.

"Me too." Charlie groaned.

"Maybe you ain't suckin' hard enough." Nate leered. "I know how you have a problem with tha- _ow!"_ The kick to his ankle burned, but it didn't stop Nate from snickering through his hisses of pain. He bounced backward for Charlie and she followed him, glaring and raising her arm to smack him. Before she brought the hand down, something caught her eyes and made her pause.

"Why do you have my glasses?" Charlie asked, lowering her arm. Nate stopped hopping in place.

"_Your_ glasses?" He repeated. Charlie took them out of Nate's pocket.

"I'm the one who bought'm for Vaughan." She explained. "I put my name on them." Charlie unfolded the temples of the glasses. She pointed to the engraving on the inside. Nate looked. The lettering was a golden brown colour. The font was small but, aside from the Japanese characters, it wasn't hard to read:

若久 戦輝凛 | Wakahisa Charlie

Nate arched a brow. He didn't know that was there. It explained why Vaughan hadn't changed his frames in years. Charlie folded the glassed and placed them back in Nate's pocket.

"Make sure you don't break'm alright?" Charlie ordered. She tapped her finger on the glasses and forced them farther down the pocket. "…That man you killed, what was his name? Donald? How do you feel?"

**| I don't feel much |**  
| You know how I feel |  
| I feel like a psycho |  
| … |

"Don't feel much." Nate admitted. "It fuckin' sucks that I wasn't able to kill him right away but… I'm fine."

"Good." Charlie said.

"_Not_ fucking good." Nate retorted.

"Nate." Charlie said. "Remember what I said before."

"Yes, and your boyfriend don't agree." Nate replied.

"My boyfriend had a _seizure _and ain't in the right frame of mind to give you good advice." Charlie told him. "Just take _my_ advice, alright?" She took the tubing out of the car and moved on. Nate watched her go. He stopped himself from reflecting on the conversations he had with both Vaughan and Charlie. He had enough stress for one day. He continued walking forward.

**(o) Talk to Jude**

Nate laughed. If the tank weren't empty, Jude would've been drinking the gas he was trying to get out. The pothead was sucking in hard, making loud snorting, slurping sounds. He sounded like a pig giving head. Oh god, what a mental image that was.

"If you keep that up you're gonna pass out man." Nate warned him. Jude removed the tubing out of his mouth and gasped.

"Dude," Jude panted. "I don't remember this being so hard." Nate was going to ask Jude why he was so bad at it if he had siphoned gas out of a car before, but then he remembered that the man was high as sin and decided he didn't need to.

"This one empty," Nate told him. "Go to another car."

"Mmkay. By the way…" Jude paused. "Does that dude know he has boobs?" The question threw Nate off. He thought Jude was going to ask about Donald.

"What?" Nate asked. He followed the pothead's gaze until he saw her. "…Are you talking about _Charlie?"_

"Yup." Jude said.

Nate snorted. "Charlie's a girl."

"Nah dude." Jude disagreed. "That's a guy with boobs". The pothead shrugged when Nate started laughing harder. "Later dude. Got more work to do." He walked off to the next car, leaving his equipment behind. Nate thought of telling him that he forgot to take his things, but decided that Jude would just come back for them later and said nothing.

Two cars away from him was Roxane's father. Nate had no qualms with approaching the man. If the bastard tried to hurt him again, he would kick his ass.

**(o) Talk to Roxane's father**

"Did you get any gas?" Nate's tone was civil. The father moved the tubing away from his mouth and frowned.

"No." Roxane's father replied. "I should have driven farther. These gas tanks must've been emptied by the last visitors at the camp."

"Okay." He said. That's all he needed to know. Nate turned to leave.

"Wait." The father said. Nate stopped, flexed his hands, and turned around. "You've stepped up when it was needed two times today. That says something good about your character. But if you make a move on my daughter again, you'll be sorry."

**| I'LL be sorry? |**  
| I'm not a good person |  
| Sure whatever |  
| … |

"_I'll_ be sorry?" Nate repeated, "Ya mean like earlier today, when you fought me and _I broke your fucking nose?" _Roxane's father self-consciously raised his hand to the bandage sitting on the middle of his face. Nate grinned. The man balled his hand into a fist.

"I swear to _God_…" The father warned.

| You swear to God WHAT? |  
| Will you relax? |  
**| Is your daughter still sixteen? |**  
| … |

"Your daughter still sixteen?" Nate asked. The father frowned him.

"Of course she is." Roxane's father retorted.

"Then ya got nothin' to worry about." Nate told him. "I'm _not _a pedophile. I honestly didn't know she was that young. So you can either let it go, or you can continue to threaten me and _I can break something else on your face." _The two men stared each other down. Nate understood that Roxane's father was just trying to be a good dad, unlike _someone _he knew, but he was completely prepared to beat the asshole up if he made a move to hit him. After a few tense seconds, father sighed. His shoulders relaxed and he stopped glaring at Nate.

"…Fine. Let's start over." The father said. He extended his hand. "My name is Raymond." Nate squinted at Raymond's hand. Was this a trick? If he took hold of the man's hand, would he try to break it?

**| Shake hands |**  
| Stare |

Nate shook his hand. The grip was strong but not painful.

**(?) Raymond changed his mind about you**

"I'm Nate." He said. They both let go at the same time.

"…Does your girlfriend know you're hitting on other people?" Raymond said after a moment of awkward silence. "Now I know we're trying to start fresh so you probably don't want to hear this, but cheating on your girlfriend isn't going to help you through the apocalypse." Nate felt like rolling his eyes. The man was in dad-mode even when he wasn't being an overprotective dick.

"My girlfriend?" Nate asked.

"The pretty one over there." Raymond said. He pointed to Charlie. She was staring at the tube in her hands with a slightly puzzled look on her face, like she'd forgotten which side had been in the gas tank and which one had been around her mouth.

Nate shook his head. "She's not my girlfriend." He said.

"Oh. So how did you meet up with her?" Raymond was making an effort to keep the conversation going.

**| Tell him long version |**  
| Tell him short version |

"I knew her long before the apocalypse. When I was a kid I…" Nate paused, contemplated on whether or not he should actually tell Raymond how they met, and decided to tell him anyways. "I saw her kill a dog."

"What!?" Raymond cried. Nate shrugged.

"Yup." He said causally. "I watched her do it. Didn't think of leaving because I was stunned as fuck. After she was done she turned around and looked directly at me. I screamed and ran all the way home. I was afraid to outside because I thought I'd see her again, but I never thought she would be at my school. So when I saw her there I nearly shat my pants."

"You pussy." Charlie spoke from behind him. She went to his side. Raymond looked at her apprehensively. "IFY, it was sick and going to die anyways. I don't kill puppies for no reason." Something about that comment made Nate, for a brief moment, want to hit her very hard. He ignored it and the feeling went away.

"I'm not afraid of you _anymore_." Nate rolled his eyes. "Besides, I was ten. You were twelve and _horrifying. _Anyways, she saw me too. That day at lunch she came over and sat beside me. She threatened to hurt me if I told anyone what I saw. I was fuckin' scared-"

"Because you were a pussy." Charlie interrupted.

"-But I thought that if I talked to her, she would like me and not to hurt me." Nate said. "So before she left I started askin' her different things; what's her favorite TV show, what kind of food did she like, why did she look black and Asian at the same time…"

"I only answered him because I found it interesting that he was scared but still wanted to talk to me." Charlie explained. "And then we became friends." Raymond stared at the two of them, bemused and startled by their friendship origin. He struggled to find something else to say.

"So you two never dated?" Raymond finally asked.

"No, we did." Nate told him. He turned to Charlie. "How old was I when we dated?"

"It was just after Casey…" Charlie let that sentence die. "So you would have been nineteen."

"Right. We dated for two years before we broke up." Nate said.

"I sent him to the hospital. And not in the _fun_ way either." Charlie told Raymond.

"_We_ sent _each other_ to the hospital. And before you say anything," Nate said as he saw Raymond's mouth fly open. "She hit me first. I'm _not _a wife beater."

"I won, by the way." Charlie announced.

**| What do you mean? |**  
| I won |  
| No one won |  
| … |

"The fuck do you mean 'you won'?" Nate scoffed.

"I mean I turned your ass into pulp." Charlie said.

"No_ I _won." Nate insisted.

"You stayed in the hospital longer than I did." Charlie told him.

"That's because ya left early. If you stayed like you were _supposed to_ then you would have been there as long as I was." Nate said. Charlie huffed out air. She tried to keep herself from laughing. Nate grinned at her and she unwillingly smiled back.

"You don't strike me as the type to keep contact with your exes." Raymond blurted out, wanting to get past this disturbing conversation.

"I'm not. I wasn't plannin' on ever seeing Charlie ever again after she left the hospital." Nate told him. "But years later, Vaughan- that's the friend whose sick at the camp- he calls me and says that he has a girlfriend and he wants me to meet her. I go to his house to see her and its _motherfucking Charlie." _

"You really weren't expectin' me?" Charlie snickered.

"Not even a little bit." Nate chimed. "Anyways, cuz Vaughan was dating her I ended up talking to Charlie again and that's how we 'made up' or whatever."

"You were a terrible boyfriend." Charlie said.

"_You_ were a terrible boyfriend." Nate teased. Charlie kicked his leg. Nate hopped away from her, laughing and hissing in pain. Raymond smiled despite himself. Nate managed to stop bouncing and looked back at Roxane's father.

"I should-" _Look for more gas,_ is what Nate wanted to say. An alarm going off in the distance cut off his words. Everyone stopped moving.

"What the fuck is that!?" Charlie shouted. Roxane turned to her father, wide-eyed.

"Dad!" Roxane cried. "It's the van!" Everyone dropped their equipment and ran towards the vehicle. Jude dashed ahead of the rest of them, running at an incredible speed. He turned the corner while the others struggled to keep up with him.

"Ah shit!" They heard Jude shout. He came running back around the corner. The pothead stopped in front of them. "Dudes! You do _not_ want to go back to the van! There are like, _fifteen_ cannibals surrounding it!"

"Then let's shoot them out of the way!" Roxane said.

"No!" Raymond and Charlie snapped. Roxane looked at the two of them, alarmed.

"More will be comin'. We have to get away from the van until the alarm stops." Charlie ordered. They turned; ready to sprint back up the road. More psychos were emerging from where they had come from.

"Fuck!" Raymond yelled. Nate's head whipped around as he tried to find somewhere they could all escape to. The buildings were probably locked, but should they risk trying to open one? What if there were psychos inside? Would it be safer to try to stay on the side streets? Nate hissed as Charlie punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! _What?"_ Nate groaned. Charlie pointed to the building to the left of them.

"There's a ladder." Charlie said. "We can climb up and stay on the roof until the noise stops." The ladder was higher than any one of them could jump to reach. Nate shook his head.

"We…" Nate's eyes fell upon a dumpster. "We can push that over here and use it to climb up." Charlie followed his gaze to the dumpster and nodded. Nate clapped his hands. Raymond, Roxane, and Jude looked at him.

"Okay," Nate asserted. "Raymond-"

**| Help push the dumpster |**  
| Distract the psychos |  
| Shoot the psychos |  
| … |

"-You're going to help me push that dumpster over here. Roxane-"

**| Help push the dumpster |**  
| Distract the psychos |  
| Shoot the psychos |  
| … |

"-You're also gonna help. Jude-"

| Help push the dumpster |  
**| Distract the psychos |**  
| Shoot the psychos |  
| … |

"-You're going to run around and distract the psychos. And Charlie-"

| Help push the dumpster |  
| Distract the psychos |  
**| Shoot the psychos |**  
| … |

"-You keep these fuckers off our ass. Let's go!" Jude began running in circles, zigzagging and bouncing away from the monsters. Charlie readied her gun. Nate, Raymond, and Roxane darted to the dumpster. Reaching it, they went to the side opposite of the ladder and pressed their bodies against the cold metal.

"Push!" Nate yelled.

**««Q»»**

The three of them shoved against the dumpster. It made a scraping shriek as it was moved across the pavement. The noise wasn't as loud as the alarm, but it still hurt Nate's ears. They pushed it a few meters before they had to stop to rest.

**««Q»»**

They shoved again, growling as they tried to make the dumpster get to the building faster. Nate heard Charlie's gun go off. Jude was panting hard.

**««Q»»**

"One last push! _C'mon!"_ Nate yelled. They heaved against the dumpster as hard as they could. It hit the building.

"We got it! Haul your ass over here!" Nate bellowed to Charlie and Jude. Roxane was the first to climb up the ladder. Raymond watched his daughter go up to the roof before climbing up himself. Charlie ran to the dumpster. She gave Nate a quick nod before jumping on the dumpster and dashing up the ladder. Jude was still running around in circles. Nate whistled. Jude turned and ran towards him. The psychos groaned and trailed behind him.

"Thanks dude. I would've kept running forever." Jude panted.

"Go!" Nate said. Jude climbed up. Nate put his arms on the top of the dumpster. He made to push himself up but paused. He quickly looked up at the ladder, then at the advancing psychos.

"Nate! What are you _doing!?"_ Charlie called from the roof. He took his arms off the top of the dumpster, placed them on the sides, and pushed.

**««Q»»**

Nate's body strained to move the dumpster away from the ladder. It inched forwards slowly,_ too_ slowly. The psychos were getting closer.

**««Q»»**

Nate gave one huge shove. The dumpster was completely removed from under the ladder. He climbed up the dumpster, bent his knees and jumped.

**(o)**

He caught on to the handle of the ladder. His body swung to the side but he held on. He quickly climbed up the ladder before the monsters could grab at his legs. Nate went to the top and collapsed on the paved roof.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Gas Prices  
—

"Are you alright?" Roxane asked. Nate nodded and sighed.

"Why did you do that?" Raymond asked. Nate slowly sat up.

"Wasn't sure if they can climb ladders," Nate explained. "So I pushed the dumpster to make sure they couldn't come up here." Roxane and Raymond looked over the edge at the psychos below.

"You are fucking crazy dude." Jude said. The pothead stood up and walked around the roof. He took out a stick of marijuana and began to smoke it. Charlie knelt in front of Nate. She raised her hand and he was sure she was going to smack him across the face.

"Idiot." She said. Charlie placed a hand under his chin and used the other to brush dirt off his face. "You're so fuckin' dumb."

"Bawkaw." Nate grinned. Charlie flicked him in the forehead and tried not to smile.

"When these freaks leave we are going straight to the camp, gas or no gas." Raymond told his daughter. He took hold of her arm and moved her away from the edge of the roof.

"But dad, we need the gas for the generators." Roxane argued.

"I kind of wanted to see them too." Jude said. Charlie's eyes got wide. She moved her hands from Nate's face and frowned at the ground.

"We will go looking for gas again, but after we go back to the camp." Raymond said. Charlie stood up abruptly.

"I have to go." Charlie murmured.

"What do you mean _you have to go?"_ Nate asked. She ignored him. Charlie walked around the edge of the roof, trying to find another ladder. Nate stood up and went after her. The other side of the building, opposite to the one they went up on, held the other ladder. Nate caught her arm before she could go down.

"If you think you can leave and not get hurt, then you are a fucking mor-" Nate's words were cut off as Charlie pressed her gun against his forehead. _"Are you serious?"_

"I need to check something out. I think Vaughan might be in danger." Charlie said. "Let go of my arm." The other three stared at the two of them, keeping a safe distance away from the conflict.

| Why would Vaughan be in danger? |  
**| I'm not letting you go |**  
| Just be careful |  
| … |

"I'm _not_ letting you go." He growled. "You're being a dumbass. Dr. Nāgá's arm is creepy, I get it, but the camp is fine. You're gonna to get yourself killed for _no reason!"_ Nate tightened the grip on her arm. Charlie glowered at him. She slowly lowered the gun from his forehead. Nate loosened his grip. Before he could react, Charlie raised the gun again and smashed it against the side of his head. Nate swore and clutched the injured area, letting go of Charlie. She turned and ran to the ladder. Nate recovered in time to see her go down.

Nate screamed. _"Charlie!"_

* * *

Growing up in a household with aggressive and neglectful strangers who insisted they were his parents was nothing to go to therapy for. It wasn't like he had to deal with them too often. Unlike Casey, Nate realized at a young age that the longer he stayed out of the house, the less time he'd have to deal with their nonsense. So stay away he did, sometimes with his brother at his side, sometimes with Charlie. And in the far corners of his mind that allowed himself to understand how dangerously toxic his parents were; he believed he saved himself from being scarred by their presence in his life.

He couldn't say the same for Casey.

But aside from that, Nate's life before the apocalypse had been good. He never suffered through long periods of boredom, what he lacked in being popular he made up in having a small group of very close friends, he had a good job, his sex life wasn't terrible, and he was generally contented with the way things were.

Therefore, as he walked through the field of dead flowers toward the building in the distance, he couldn't understand why the voices coming out of the overcast sky were all of from bad moments in his life. These voices were contained in visible pockets of sound that would intensify and lessen depending on his position to them. Nate trudged forward and reached another pouch of angry noise.

"_Stop cryin'! __**Boys**__ don't cry!"_

"_But you're __**hurting**__ me…"_

"_Damn right, I'm hurting ya! Who said you could grow your hair out? No son of mine is going to walk around this neighbourhood lookin' like __**a goddamn pussy**__. I said stop crying! Are you a __**girl!?"**_

"_No pa…"_

"_Then fuckin' stop it and sit up straighter. If I cut you with these goddamn scissors, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."_

"_Okay…"_

He never grew his hair long after that.

The more he walked, the less it felt like he were moving toward the building. Instead, the building seemed to be advancing towards him. It moved forward in the same sluggish speed as he was walking. This made the building no less intimidating. It looked like a face to Nate. A giant, distorted face with huge pores and multiple broken eyes.

"_Ma… I can't understand you when you're speaking French._

"_Nate, honey, I __**said**__ get mommy another beer."_

"_Um, don't ya think you've had enough to drink?_

"_I've had enough when I __**say**__ I've had enough. Now get me another beer and__** stop**__ talking back to me, it's annoying."_

"…_Fuck __**you."**_

"_What? What did you say!? I have done __**nothing**__ to deserve that kind of attitude! It's… It's not __**my**__ fault I drink, okay!? Your father is the reason why I'm like this! I've done __**nothing**__ wrong…"_

"_Ma? D-don't cry ma. I'll get you another one. Just hold on."_

"_Thank you, honey."_

Nate was suddenly thirsty and bitter.

It was going to eat him. Nate's feet kept moving but he wasn't covering ground anymore. The building was, and it would swallow him whole. Why was he walking towards this terrifying thing in the first place? Why couldn't he turn around and run somewhere else? The entrance of the building stalked closer.

"_What do you __**mean**__ you have fucking __**AIDS!?"**_

"_I didn't get sick on purpose Nate! It just happened!"_

"_AIDS doesn't __**just**__ happen, you dumbass!"_

"_I know! I know, I just… God!"_

"…_Did you tell dad?"_

"_**No!**__And you can't tell'm either!"_

"_Casey-"_

"_Nate, __**please**__ don't tell'm! You know how he's like! He only thinks that gays get this. If dad thinks I'm gay, he'll… I'll be __**lucky**__ if he only kicks me out of the house. We can't tell him."_

"…_Fine. How are you gonna to pay for your pills?"_

"_I… I don't know."_

"_**Shit!**__Casey… damn it Casey, don't cry."_

He only had sex once. Just the one time and he got sick. How was that fair?

Nate knew that this was what going to hell would be like. No matter how good you thought your life was, you'd be force to relive every bad decision, every argument, everything you ever wanted to forget as you were dragged down. Then a message would come to you, and it would say, 'If you thought that was bad, wait until you step through the gates'.

His message came in the form of writing on a door. _Please don't._ Nate had assumed that this had been an empathetic, concerned warning to whoever came to the hospital. He knew better now. This wasn't a warning; this was a sarcastic, uncaring, hateful sign. 'Please don't think things will get better' the sign secretly said. 'Please don't believe that you'll be okay. Please don't forget to scream when you're in hell'.

"_I should have __**never**__ married you! You killed our son!"_

"_For the last time, I did not kill Casey! The __**fag**__ shot himself!"_

"_But it's__** your**__ fault! __**You**__ made him do it! And now… __**Why did you knock the casket over!?"**_

"_Because you wouldn't shut your fuckin' mouth, that's why!"_

"_I… Where are you going!?"_

"_I'm leaving, you __**bitch!**__ I don't have to deal with this shit."_

"_You __**asshole!**__ You can't leave! This is our son's-"_

"_**Fuck you!"**_

"…_Nate, sweetie, please pick up your brother. __**God,**__ I can't stop crying…"_

Casey deserved better parents than he got.

As if alerted by his presence, the boards and nails sealing the doors melted into thick ooze. It dribbled down, taking the writing and its false concerns with it. When the last of it sunk itself into the ground, Nate grabbed the handles, opened the door, and stepped through.

Cold, abandoned, the pharmacy asserted its aggressive darkness and fatal despair along with the rest of the hospital. Flashlight in hand, Nate shone it at the entrance of the store.

"Shoot the psychos when they come out." A voice behind him said. Nate jerked his head to the left.

"Charlie?" Nate breathed. "What are you _doing_ here? Why aren't you in the truck?"

"That dead asshole and the fuckin' puppy have been bothering you for what? Three days now?" Charlie ignored his question. "You have a gun, just shoot them." She gestured to his hand just as he felt something cold in the palm. Nate looked down and saw the gun.

"You don't have to do that." Another voice behind him spoke up. Nate turned his head to the right. It was Vaughan. "You can take the baby from it. You don't have to shoot anything."

"The fuck would be the point of that?" Charlie asked. "The puppy is just as dead as that other piece of shit." Nate looked away from the both of them and stared at the pharmacy. His head hurt. He wanted them to leave him alone.

"It's too late to save her, but killing them isn't going to help you Nate." Vaughan explained. "Remember what I said before, about taking a part of what happened to the baby holding on to it? You need to hold on to the humanity this gives you. It's going to hurt a lot, but you'll be better off for it in the long run." His voice was soft but the words made Nate grind his teeth together.

Charlie hissed and shook her head. "No, that doesn't make any sense. There's no more humanity in those things. _They're dead._ What you need to do is fill them full of lead. You can't let them ruin your life like this. Take back control and fucking end them!"

| Can the both of you shut up? |  
**| Go back to the truck |**  
| You're going to attract psychos |  
| … |

Nate spun around and shouted. _"Get back to the fucking tr-"_ No one was behind him. He frowned. Where the hell did they go now? Head pounding, he turned back towards the pharmacy.

A decayed face was inches from his own.

Nate screamed. He jumped back, nearly tripping as he stumbled to get away from the psycho. He found his footing and pointed his gun at it.

The tiny monster in its hands moved the upper half of its body towards Nate. High-pitched snarling came out of the undead infant's mouth. It stretched out its remaining arm, making grabbing motions towards Nate. The bigger psycho made no move to attack him. It only held the tiny, bloody mess in its hands and smiled.

| Take baby |  
**| Shoot psycho |**

He shot the monster in the face. Its brains erupted from its skull. The psycho flew backwards, the smaller creature dropping from its hands. It hit the hospital floor with a meaty thud. Nate stomped towards the psycho. He roared and shot it again.

**(o)**

There was no point in trying to take the baby back.

**(o)**

This was a nightmare.

**(o)**

The baby was dead.

**(o)**

Even if he tried to reclaim what was taken from him, the baby would _still be dead._

**(o)**

He hated this monster.

**(o)**

So fuck holding on to humanity.

**(o)**

This dead thing had_ no_ humanity to give.

**(o)**

The last shot echoed throughout the halls of the hospital. A shrill noise continued to bounce off the walls after the echoes died. Nate turned away from the immobile rotting husk on the ground and looked at the source of the noise. It was the baby. Bloodshot eyes glared at him. It rocked on its back, reaching for him and gurgling savagely. A dry ball clung to the inside of his neck. Nate didn't bother to swallow it down. He knew it wouldn't go away.

He had suffered so much from her death because in the end, she had been one of his own. Any parental feelings toward the baby were nonexistent, but regardless of how short her time with them had been, regardless of not knowing if she really was a _she_ at all, she had been a part of his group. His attachment to the baby had been quick and felt natural despite the circumstance surrounding their meeting, and he did his best to take care of her. He fucked up so badly, but he had meant well. He really did.

**(o)**

He looked at the tiny thing that used to be a baby, _his _baby, and shot it in the head.

**(?) You chose to kill the psychos**

"There you go." Charlie said at his side. _"Now_ you're in control, and the puppy is finally dead."

He stared at her. She returned his gaze with a proud look. Nate felt sick. He just wanted to leave. He looked back down at the bloody mess on the floor. What he saw made his lungs turn to stone.

The baby's skin was healthy and smooth. She was no longer torn in half. Her clothes, which had been clean and not stained with decayed handprints, were now being stained red from the bullet wound in her head.

He had shot a healthy baby.

Every bone in his body, every fiber of his being, shook in shock. His throat closed, blocking all air. He was mortified beyond feeling the need to scream. How did this happen? He didn't murder her. She was already dead. Wasn't she already dead?

"This is what will make you a great survivor." Charlie said into his ear. "Taking shit from _nobody_ and…" She paused. "Are you crying?"

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Who Are You To Disagree  
—

Nate woke up to the feeling of his rough palm brushing against his face. Groggy, he raised them to his eyes. They were dry. He let his hand drop into his lap and rested his head against the window. Emotions were losing intensity; his angst, fear, anxiety, and anger were melting away into a void inside his head. If he did not stop it, he would become an emotionless robot for a long time. Nate didn't want to stop it though. That dream had been so awful.

"…You okay dude?" Jude asked beside him. "You sounded like you were having a pretty bad dream."

| I'm fine |  
| Leave me alone |  
| It was a nightmare |  
**| … |**

Nate didn't respond. He stared at the seat in front of him, his head knocking against the glass with the bumps of the road. He didn't need emotions to live. Feelings were overrated and painful. It was all right to sit in this van, surrounded by these strangers, and let himself go numb.

"Charlie didn't come back, but I think he'll be fine. That dude's got balls of steel." Jude reassured him. "I thought he'd come back to see us since we were on the roof for the entire day, but he's probably chillaxing with the doctor dudes." _Charlie._ She ran through streets filled with the undead just to see if Vaughan was safe. It was either love or extreme possessiveness that led her to do that. Either way, she was strong.

Was he going to be weaker than a woman? Fuck _that._ He was going to hold on to his painful emotions and soldier it out, at least until he got a hold of his alcohol and used that. He was willing to weaken the mental blows, but he would_ not_ blank out without a fight. He was stronger than that bullshit. And he was stronger than falling victim to hallucinations of little girls and pretending that his friends could see her too.

The void in his mind closed as the van slowed to a stop.

"…Dad, are you sure you went to the right place?" Roxane sounded deeply confused.

"I'm positive. That's Nate's truck over there." Raymond told her. He sounded just as puzzled as his daughter.

"But… where are all the tents?" Roxane asked. Nate moved his head off the window. Why did Roxane not know where the tents were? It was morning; her and her father should have been able to see them from where they sat. Nate opened the door and stepped out of the van. Then he understood.

There were no tents. The only sign that any had ever been there were the square and rectangle indents in the grass where tents once stood. The doctors were gone, the workers were gone, the patients were gone. The only vehicle that was left in the makeshift parking lot was Nate's truck.

"Dudes, I don't know if I'm just that high, but I don't see any tents." Jude statement was mildly concerned.

| Charlie isn't here |  
**| Where's Vaughan? |**  
| Where did everything go? |  
| … |

"Where's Vaughan?" Nate rattled. He didn't know the first thing about seizures, but he thought a person wasn't supposed to move much after they had one. How sick was Vaughan now?

"They left? They left without us!?" Raymond cried. His head whipped around, as if glaring at the area around them would materialize everything and everyone back to where they were supposed to be. Roxane spoke French, her tone furious and terrified.

Nate walked to his truck. He didn't know what else to do.

**(o) Look at truck**

The food, the first aid kits, the alcohol, the baby equipment he never got around to throwing out; everything in the back of the truck was _gone._

"They took all my shit." Nate growled. He needed to punch something. If Nate got his hands on those doctors, especially Dr. Nāgá and her dead arm, he would kill them for taking both Vaughan and his-

A muffled sound came from the interior of the truck. Was it a growl? Coughing? A yawn? Nate pulled his gun out, released the safety, and edged slowly to the passenger window. He grabbed hold of the handle.

**(o) Open door**

He flung the door open. He pointed the gun at the figure inside.

"Nate!" The little girl cried. It was Sissy. Nate's finger was on the trigger. He could have shot her. He thought back to his nightmare and felt a flare of nausea.

Sissy crawled out of the truck. His resolve momentarily forgotten, Nate knelt down, dropping the gun and catching her before she fell to the ground. She curled up in his hold and cried. The others jogged over to the two of them.

**| What happened? |**  
| Are you alright? |  
| Where's all my stuff? |  
| … |

"What happened Sissy?" Nate coaxed.

"They took everybody! They got a truck and they put maman and everyone else in it! I wanted to go too but they would not take me!" Sissy sobbed.

"Who? Who wouldn't take you? Who took everyone?" It occurred to Nate that he had jumped to conclusions. For all he knew, the doctors could've been kidnapped along with the rest of the patients.

Sissy proved his assumptions right however. "The doctors did! They gave me food and water and told me to stay in the truck." Nate looked in the truck. Opened cans, empty chip bags, and bottles of water littered the inside. The box of whiskey was on the floor of the passenger's side. Nate wondered why they left the whiskey behind.

"Do you know where they went?" Raymond demanded. Sissy's hair slapped against her face as she shook her head. It was then Nate noticed that everyone was looking at Sissy. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will the little girl away or make himself see what the group was really looking at. He opened his eyes. Sissy was still in his lap, and they were still looking at her. He had been stressing himself out for no reason. She had been real the entire time.

"Non." Sissy said. "Je veux ma maman." The little girl pressed her face against Nate's chest and whimpered. Tears fell on a piece of folded paper she held in her hands. Nate took it from her and opened it. A hastily drawn map with a series of directions was on one side. A message was on the other. It was Charlie's handwriting.

_**Asshole!**__I fucking told you something was wrong with this place! When I came back to the camp, they were taking everybody and leaving! __**They took Vaughan!**_

_I followed them to some building. I think it might be a clinic or something. I don't know what they're planning to do, but it does not look like they're trying to help __**shit!**__ I wrote instructions on how to get there. I'll be waiting for you outside. _

_Come quickly, you stupid asshole. __**We don't have much time!**_

Relief came over him in a brisk wave. The stupid bitch hadn't gotten herself eaten. But Vaughan was still gone, taken for god knows what reason.

_We don't have much time. _

"When did Charlie give you this?" Nate asked the little girl. She looked up at him and wiped her eyes.

"In the afternoon." She said softly.

"_When _in the afternoon?"

"I do not know."

"Fuck." Nate hissed. Sissy flinched. Nate stroked her hair to calm her down. He turned his head to the others. "I know where they are. We have to leave now!"

"Wait." Roxane spoke up before the others could ask any questions. "What about Sissy? Who's going to stay behind and take care of her?"

"I want to come!" Sissy whined.

"No. You're staying here." Raymond ordered. "And I refuse to stay. I'm not going to sit by while my daughter is in the hands of those bastards. Roxane-"

"No," She cut her father off. "I want to help save Renée!"

"You'll be safer here!" Raymond told her.

"I stay with the little lady." Jude said.

"Yeah dad, he'll do it!" Roxane agreed.

"He's too high to take care of a little girl!" Raymond said.

"And he's not too high to go on a rescue mission!?" Roxane argued.

"Dudes chill! Nate will decide what we do." Jude said.

"…What?" Nate had been staring at Sissy the entire time, waiting for the other three to stop fighting. Now he looked up at the three of them, who stared back down at him with varying levels of stress.

"Roxane wants me to stay, her dad wants her to stay, and I don't care either way." Jude explained. "Whatever you choose I'll agree with you so the votes don't get messed up."

| Jude stays |  
**| Roxane stays |**  
| Sissy comes |  
| … |

There was no way he was bringing the girl with them, and he didn't care which one of them stayed behind.

"Roxane, you're staying." Nate decided at random. "Can we go now?"

**(?) You chose to make Roxane stay**

"Mmkay." Jude said. Raymond walked back to the van. Roxane went after her father, yelling at him in French. Nate felt Sissy's body tremble against him. He held her tighter.

"I want to go." The little girl's voice was deflated. Nate rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Well you can't." Nate told her.

"Why not?" Sissy asked.

| Because we said so |  
| Because you'll be safe here |  
**| Because I'm shit |**  
| … |

"Because I'm a piece of shit. I'd probably get you killed Baguette." Nate's voice was soft. This was what children did to you, he realized. They come into your life, ruin you, and make you brittle. They were fucking gross.

"Oh." Sissy said simply. She sniffed and tugged at Nate's jacket.

"Yeah." Nate agreed. He combed his fingers through her hair. _"Oh." _Angry, French shouting fill the silence that passed between them. Nate closed his eyes. He was going to kill many people today, he was sure of it. Did it bother him? No. Did his indifference to the lives he would take bother him? Yes, but he could push it aside if he tried. And try he did.

"I think you will save everyone." Sissy mumbled. Nate opened his eyes.

"Why's that?" Nate asked.

"Because you saved me." Sissy told him. "You are a super-héros."

**| I'm not a hero |**  
| Sure kid |  
| And you're my sidekick? |  
| … |

Nate shook his head.

"I'm not a hero, kid." He said.

"You are to me." Sissy reassured him. Nate chuckled. It sounded weak.

"Are we leaving now?" Raymond asked impatiently. Nate nodded. Roxane stood next the van; arms wrapped around her and shoulders shaking. Jude stood beside Raymond, waiting for Nate to tell them where to go. Sissy sucked the tip of her thumb. Nate glared at the paper in his hand.

"They're gonna regret taking them from us." Nate growled.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
No Do Gooder  
—


	5. Walk Among Cobras

_This game series adapts to the choices you make._

_The story is tailored by how you play_ _._

TELLTALE GAMES

presents

in association with

SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT

Nate's eyes darted from the buildings, to the paper in his hands, and back to the buildings. He never focused so fervently on words scribbled on paper in his life. Though Charlie made very clear instructions on how to get to the clinic, Nate kept triple checking to make sure he was going the right way. He ran over a pothole in the road and heard Jude and Raymond yelp in surprise.

Nate looked at the other men through the rear-view mirror. He knew they chose to sit in the back because they were afraid of him and the sanity that kept leaving his eyes. Nate could feel his facial features go dark with the rage and fear that stung his brain. He could tell that he sometimes looked like he'd turn on Jude and Raymond just because they weren't his friends.

Nate shook his head. He needed to calm down. Nothing good would come from his only allies being paranoid thanks to his demeanour. Nate huffed out a frustrated gust of air. This was stupid. Jude and Raymond had nothing to worry about. He had no reason to turn on them. The doctors, on the other hand, had every reason to be afraid. If anything happened to either of his friends…

He caught his reflection in the mirror. He looked like he had just escaped an insane asylum. His eyes were wide and predatory, shining with macabre intensity. His lips were pulled back in a mute snarl. The lines in his face deepened, enhancing the wild look. Nate quickly averted his eyes from the mirror. He shook his head as if the crazed appearance was only superficial and could fly off with any given movement.

"Calm down." Nate ordered himself, his voice strained and husky. "Fucking _calm down."_ His grip on the steering wheel tightened. No matter what happened, everything would be over by the end of the day. Either he'd get his friends back or he'd burn the clinic to the ground. No need to drive himself crazy. Or _crazier_.

Nate slowed to a stop beside one of the buildings. It wasn't the clinic, but Charlie wrote that the clinic had security cameras. She wasn't sure if they were active but suggested that he park away from the clinic just in case. Nate pocketed the keys and stepped out. The truck shook as Jude and Raymond hopped off the back. Raymond looked around the area tentatively, the muscles in body visibly tensing. Jude stretched his arms in front of him, wiggling them as he cracked his neck.

"Where are we supposed to meet the Blasian dude?" Jude asked after he finished stretching. Nate looked back at the wrinkled note. The lettering was lightly smudged with the wear of moistened hands.

_I'll be waiting for you outside._

"_Where_ outside, you dumb bitch?" None of the concern Nate felt came through in his voice. Jude and Raymond looked at each other. Unease wrinkled the both of their faces, though the pothead seemed less troubled. Nate looked up from the paper and forced himself stop frowning.

"Charlie didn't say _exactly_ where she'd be." Nate pocketed the note in his jacket and huffed.

"That'll make finding her difficult." Raymond said. "She'll be hiding from the doctors so she won't be readily visible, and we can't run the risk of calling out for her in case we're heard by the wrong people." Jude nodded in agreement, doing so in such way that resembled a bubblehead.

"There's no point lookin' for her, she'll already be inside." Nate said after a pause. "We took too long to come here. Ain't no way she'll still be waiting for us. She broke in and went Rambo on their asses hours ago. I wouldn't be surprised if she already rescued everyone." The mental image of Charlie beating the shit out of the doctors was pleasing. She'd show them no mercy, which was fine by him, especially when dealing with the head doctor and her nasty dead arm. He hoped Charlie clawed her eyes out. Assuming she could get that far. Nate's mood soured again.

"Are you sure?" Raymond asked.

"Positive." Nate murmured. If Charlie were waiting for him, she'd be safer where she was. If she were inside, she'd need all the assistance she could get.

"Mmkay, cool." Jude said. Nate walked forward. Raymond hurried to his side while Jude trailed behind him.

"What's the plan?" Raymond asked.

"We're breaking in." Nate said.

"I know that, but _how_ are we breaking in?" Raymond asked. Nate pulled out his gun. Raymond flinched, stumbling over his feet. Nate wiggled the gun his hand, the barrel pointed in front of him.

"Charlie found a blind spot." Nate explained. He flicked his wrist, pretending to fire the gun. "I'm gonna shoot out one of the windows in the blind spot and we'll go through."

"They'll hear the gun go off." Raymond told him. He pulled nervously at the bandage on his nose.

"But dude," Jude chimed in. "They won't know we're coming in _advance._ We'll be like samurais and shit."

"You mean ninjas." Raymond corrected. Jude gave him another bubblehead nod. They continued the rest of the way in silence. Following the instructions, they went to the building closest to the clinic and climbed up the outer stairs. After reaching the roof, they positioned themselves in the blind spot. A thick pipe was attached to the wall of the building and the three men scaled down it to the narrow alleyway below; Nate going first, Jude and Raymond following after him.

After his feet touched the ground, he turned towards the clinic and was met with a large window. Nate scooted to the left side of the window and peered into it. An office, human life evident by its cleanliness despite currently lacking people, sat inside. Jude and Raymond stalked to the right of the window.

Nate drew out his gun once again. Releasing the safety, he stepped away from the wall and aimed at the window.

**(o)**

The bullet soared through the glass. Shards flew into the office and fell on the ground. Nate broke the glass fragments still attached to the windowsill with the butt of his gun.

"Let's go." Raymond said.

| Enter |  
**| Wait |**

Nate grabbed Raymond's arm before he could pull himself over the windowsill.

**(?) You decided to wait**

"Hold up." Nate said.

"What? Why?" Raymond asked.

"Just trust me." Nate said. He crouched down. Raymond frowned at him before following suit. Jude shrugged and lowered himself to the ground, grabbing onto Raymond's shoulder when he lost balance.

The office door slammed opened. Footsteps galloped inside the room.

"The window!" A voice cried.

"What the hell!?" Said another. The sound of footsteps grew louder. Nate looked up and saw a head sticking out the window. The doctor's hands, which tightly grasped the windowsill, were inches away from Nate's head. The three men froze. The doctor's head whipped around, searching the alleyway. Nate raised his gun, ready to shoot if the man looked down.

"Warn the others! There's been another intruder!" The doctor scurried from the window. The footsteps faded away. The three men peaked into the office. The doctors were gone. Nate hopped into the room. The other two followed.

"Good call." Raymond said. Jude nodded.

| Thanks |  
**| Let's keep going |**  
| Whatever |  
| … |

"We have more work to do. C'mon." Nate told them. He poked his head out the door. The hallway was clean. No bullet holes in the walls, no papers on the ground, no blood splattered anywhere. Nothing like the hospital. Frantic voices echoing to the right of him pushed the train of thought out of his mind.

"Left." Nate whispered to the other men. He opened the door as little as possible and all three of them snuck through. They moved quickly and silently through the halls.

He didn't know where he was going or where his friends were. Besides screaming 'Vaughan! Charlie!' like a lunatic, Nate figured catching one of the doctors alone and making them tell him their location was his best option. Though most, if not all the doctors, must have known more intruders had infiltrated the clinic. If they weren't in pairs for protection, they would be armed. Of the three of them, Nate was the only one with a weapon. He didn't know what the doctors would be carrying. His handgun wouldn't do shit against an assault rifle.

Voices, loud and urgent, came from the hall intersecting their current position. Nate opened a random door and ushered the two men into the room. The voices grew louder. He closed the door silently behind him before the doctors turned the corner.

The room had a series of beds on one side. Counters paralleled them. The three men positioned themselves beside a counter. Nate tried to speak but Jude waved his unformed words away. The pothead mouthed the word "doctor" before placing a finger over his lips. Nate peaked over the counter top. The doctor who had been fighting with Donald when Nate first arrived at the camp was standing in front of a psycho lying in bed. The psycho was growling at the man. It kept lifting its upper body off the bed. Restraints on its arms stop it from jumping the man.

Nate shot Jude and Raymond a puzzled look, which they mirrored. Why was the doctor keeping the monster alive? Were they trying to find a way to control psychos? Was that why they kidnapped the sick at the camp, to add to their undead army?

The doctor picked up a small, black recording device and began speaking. All three of them watched.

"Dr. Phanin presiding over patient thirty-three. Day forty-one since the outbreak." The doctor droned. "Despite injection of the vaccine, the patient succumbed to the virus. On an interesting note, the time frame between the injection and reanimation was four minutes and thirty-five seconds. This is the most rapid case of transformation I have ever seen. The patient was originally stricken with the HIV, therefore I can only presume that AIDS speeds up the infection processes." AIDS. It was Sissy's mother. Though Nate never saw her at the camp, he could see a likeness to the little girl in the undead woman's face.

A loud crack echoed throughout the room. The psycho reached towards Dr. Phanin, arm broken off at the wrist. The doctor picked up a gun off the counter and shot it in the head. The three men ducked.

"I would need more test subjects to make a definite conclusion to this." Dr. Phanin continued, placing the gun back down. "However, I will not make an active effort to acquire more subjects with AIDS. We are trying to find a cure, not an irritant for the virus."

"A _cure?"_ Nate murmured to himself.

"Shit…" Jude gasped. The doctors' plan formed in Nate's mind. They took people they believed weren't going to survive long and injected them with the virus and vaccine. Then they waited to see if it would work. If it didn't, no harm was done because those people were going to die anyways. Nate fumed. Vaughan's illness wasn't incurable, and even if it was Nate wasn't going to let his friend became a dead lab rat.

"We should sneak up on him, hold him down, and make him tell us where the others are." Raymond whispered. The doctor wrote in a notebook, his back turned to them. He stood very close to the gun.

"I'm gonna get'm." Nate told them. "Cover me."

**/!\ Press and hold the left mouse button, then push the mouse forward. Push slowly to sneak up quietly, or quickly to jump out**

Nate crept forward; back hunched, knees bent, eyes fixed on the doctor. Getting closer, he spared a glance at the gun. Three glock magazines surround it. Before he get close to the doctor, the man spin around and threw the notebook at his head. Nate flinched backward. It surprised him more than it hurt. Before he was able to recover from the attack, Dr. Phanin reached for the gun. Jude's shoe went flying past Nate's shoulder, knocking the gun off the counter and onto the floor. The doctor gasped in surprise. Nate raised his gun. Dr. Phanin launched himself at him. The doctor grabbed onto both of his arms, yanking hard at the one holding the weapon.

**««Q»»**

Nate pulled his arms back. It felt as though he and the doctor were dancing violently with each other. Jude and Raymond grabbed the doctor's shoulders, tore him off of Nate, and forcibly sat him on the bed. Nate pocketed the doctor's gun and magazines. Now he had something to arm Charlie with. He didn't know how good a shot she was, but he knew she'd learn quickly in a situation like this. Assuming she was still alive.

"How did you get in here!?" Dr. Phanin demanded. His struggles ceased when Nate pointed the gun at his face. The doctor glared at him with a mixture of fear and outrage.

"Not important. Where are the people you kidnapped?" Raymond demanded. The doctor averted his eyes.

| Answer the question |  
| Do you think this is a joke? |  
**| [Hurt doctor] |**  
| … |

Nate brought the side of the gun to the left side of Dr. Phanin's head. He fired. The volume burst the doctor's eardrum. He cupped his ear, doubling over and screeching in pain. Blood leaked through his fingers. Raymond nodded in approval, taking a few steps away from Nate.

"Shit dude. Just… _shit."_ Jude groaned. The pothead retrieved a joint from under his shirt. He lit it, inhaling deeply. Nate grabbed the doctor's hair and pulled. Dr. Phanin yapped as he was forced to make eye contact.

"Ya didn't answer him, so I assume that your ears were clogged." Nate's voice was low. "I'm pretty sure I just fixed that though, so let me repeat the question. You better think _really fucking hard_ about the answer you give. _Where are the people you kidnapped?" _He let go of the doctor's hair.

"We're doing this to help everyone!" Dr. Phanin hollered at him. "We're trying to insure the survival of humanity! Our future is more important than the lives of a few people!"

| They never wanted to help you |  
| Maybe you're right |  
**| [Hurt doctor] |**  
| … |

Nate slapped him with the gun. The doctor's head whipped to the side. A tooth flew out.

"Fuck…" Jude moaned. The pothead turned away from the bleeding doctor and the violent man with the crazy eyes. Nate raised the gun again. Dr. Phanin darted forward. He pushed Nate aside before he could bring the gun down on his head. The doctor rushed for the door. Nate chased after him.

Dr. Phanin tripped as he exited the room. His body hit the floor with a loud smack. Nate stomped on his back as he tried to stand. He could feel the man's boney spine through the soles of his shoes. He pressed his foot down. The doctor whined and coughed. Blood poured out of his ear onto the floor below.

"You don't know what you're doing, you idiot!" Dr. Phanin hissed like a scared cat pretending to be a lion. Nate wondered if his spine would crack or pop out of place. He smiled and applied more pressure.

Something hard hit the back of Nate's head; there was a second's delay before the area exploded with pain. A black filter went over his eyes. He collapsed to the floor. Consciousness was swimming away from him but he fought against it. Charlie and Vaughan were depending on him to save them. If he passed out, the doctors would kill him.

Nate felt himself being lifted into a sitting position. He forced his eyelids to lift. The dark filter dissolved into the clinic halls. Dr. Nāgá stood in front of him, looking down at the bleeding doctor. She held a baseball bat in her hand.

"You seem to be getting yourself into a substantial amount of trouble as of late." Dr. Nāgá told Dr. Phanin. "No matter. You may leave now. There are more patients that need attending to." The injured doctor stumbled to his feet. He limped away, a hand cupped over his ear. Dr. Nāgá watched him go for a brief moment before looking at Nate. Mild annoyance and curiosity radiated off of her.

"Hello Nate." Dr. Nāgá said.

**| Where are they? |**  
| I'll kill you |  
| Fuck off |  
| … |

"Where are they, you cunt!?" Nate screamed. He lunged at her, every cell in his body shrieking _'murder the bitch'_. The doctors on either side of him held Nate back. He struggled against them, trying to fight them off, but the blow to the head sapped much of his energy. He couldn't pull his arms away.

"You have no business knowing that information." Dr. Nāgá told him.

"Fuck you!" He spat. "They're my-"

"But now they're mine." Dr. Nāgá said. She leaned the bat on the wall and reached for something in her coat pocket. Nate focused all his attention on the bat, the guns in his pants forgotten.

**««Q»»**

Nate reached forward. The doctor holding his outstretched arm pulled back. Though it was near impossible for him to reach the bat- it was out of his reach and he couldn't struggle out of the doctors' hold- Nate persisted still. They weren't allowed to pretend to be a beacon of hope and tear the illusion away without repercussions. He was going to beat the shit of them and turn their bones into powder. He-

A sharp object pierced Nate's neck. Nate only had the time to bark in surprise and pain before Dr. Nāgá pulled the object out. It was a syringe. The barrel was emptied of whatever fluid had been in there. The head doctor placed the syringe back into her pocket.

"What…" Nate croaked. The injected area burned. The world tilted for a few seconds. "What did you just-"

Jude and Raymond burst out of the room with a battle cry and chairs in their hands. They swung their "weapons" wildly, hitting the chests both doctors restraining Nate. Jude nearly clipped Nate's head with a chair leg. Dr. Nāgá reached for her bat. Jude threw his chair at her. It hit her in the back. She fell to the ground, landing on her undead arm.

"Run dude, _run!"_ Jude cried. He and Raymond bolted down the hall just as Nate leaped to his feet. His brain floated to the top of his head before crashing down to the bottom of his jaw. Nate stumbled, gained his footing, and followed the other men.

Nate turned a corner. Jude and Raymond didn't. Raymond back-pedalled and called after him. Nate kept running. He didn't know why he wasn't listening to the older man. It was stupid for him to run off on his own. Maybe it was because Raymond and Jude took so long to intervene. Why hadn't they tried to help him the moment he got caught?

The halls of the clinic tunneled. Nate found himself in a kaleidoscope of lights, noise, and pain. He tripped over a sound wave or a ray beam and fell.

And fell.

And fell.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Things Are Going To Be A-okay  
—

* * *

A blender liquefied his brain and poured it back into his head. That was the only explanation Nate could think of as to why he felt so dizzy and sick. It should've killed him, but it didn't, because blenders were assholes.

"Nate?" And now the blender was talking to him. Nate kept his eyes closed, brows slanted downward in disapproval. Not only did the thing have the nerve to speak to him after the assault, but it was using his brother's voice; A youthful countertenor that cracked occasionally with the fading influences of puberty. It had been years since he heard that voice, if dreams and nightmares didn't count.

Nate opened his eyes, a difficult task since the blender apparently replaced the skin of his eyelids with lead, and looked at the offending thing. Casey's concerned face stared back at him. Though his body lacked the amount of energy to zap him into full alertness, the sight of his brother kneeling in front of him shocked some life back into Nate.

"Wha…" Nate quivered. "Casey?" The kid hadn't aged. He was still the sixteen year old with the semi-medium length hair that pushed their father's boundaries on what 'wasn't masculine' for reasons neither of them understood. Still was blessed with very few pimples on his skin, unlike Nate when he was that age. Still looked so much like their mother while Nate was unfortunate enough to look like their bastard of an old man.

"Are you okay?" Casey asked.

| [Hug him] |  
| How are you here? |  
**| [Punch him] |**  
| … |

His arm went through him, or he simply missed. Anger and an upset balance made it hard for Nate to tell. Brief surprise passed through Casey's face.

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you!?" Nate's attempts at screaming came out as hoarse grunting instead. "Why did you do it, you fucking dumbass!? Why!?" He didn't have the strength to try to hit him again, but he wanted to.

"…We didn't have enough money." Casey said. "We couldn't afford any of the pills and… and Pa… he was going to kill me if he found out, and Ma would let'm. I didn't want to go out like that. So… So I took the gun and…" He paused, staring into space for a moment before snapping out of it. "I… I also thought that maybe, if I didn't let the 'gay' disease do me in, Pa would be less mad at me y'know? He'd be proud that I took some initiative to… you know."

**| I would've protected you |**  
| Dad wasn't proud |  
| I would've help pay |  
| … |

"I wouldn't have let that happen!" Nate said. "I used to stop kids from hurtin' you all the time, remember? I would've protected you from that son of a bitch!"

Casey nodded slowly. "I know." He said. "But then he'd kill you first. I didn't want to see that."

Nate choked. "Damn it _Casey."_ The last time he'd seen his little brother, it had only been part of him sticking out of a knocked over casket. A bag made of out the same material as his tuxedo covered a large section of his head, blocking the aftermath of the bullet's destructive path. Nate would've done anything reverse the damage done, to keep himself from having to seeing his brother like that and knowing how it felt to pick him up inside a glorified cardboard box.

"I'm sorry." Casey's voice cracked. "Don't mean much now, I know, but I am so sorry Nay."

**| I'm sorry too |**  
| Don't apologize |  
| I missed you |  
| … |

"I'm the one who's fucking sorry." Nate said. "I shouldn't have gone drinking that day. I should've stayed with you." It was okay, his brother had told him, it was okay to leave. He'd be fine on his own for a while. And Nate listened, went drinking for a few hours because the stress of Casey's secret was getting to him. Then he came back home and Casey was gone. Killed himself surrounded by imperfect family photos, smiling and laughing as he blew his brains out in the hallway.

"…You'll save them. I know you will." Casey's encouragement was bittersweet with tears that swam in his eyes.

| I know |  
**| Are you sure? |**  
| Will you help me? |  
| … |

"_S i r ?"_

Nate's sigh shook his entire body. "You sure about that? I couldn't save you." It was impossible not to be bitter.

"_S i r ?"_

Casey shook his head. "My death isn't your fault."

"_S i r ?"_

His brother smiled at him. "You can do it Nay."

"_Sir?"_

Nate meant to reach for Casey, but somewhere between moving his hand forward, his brother's arm morphed into the arm of a woman he didn't know. She flinched when he grabbed her, but her surprise didn't last long before it changed to relief.

"Thank god." She sighed. "Here, let me help you up." She took hold of his arm and pulled. Nate sluggishly raised himself off the ground. Seeing Casey had just been a dream after all. It shouldn't have shocked him, he had to have been sleeping or hallucinating at the very least. But Nate still felt unnerved by this revelation. Standing his full height, he looked around. They were in a stairwell on the lowest level.

"Do you remember me?" The woman asked. "I'm Dr… just call me Ritika. We talked at the camp. I asked you to take the weed from that man but you didn't listen to me." She frowned at the memory of his unhelpfulness. "I found you passed out on the upper levels on this stairwell. I brought you to the basement so the others wouldn't find you. How are you feeling?"

Dazed, Nate looked her up and down. He remembered her. Hadn't she been one of the people yelling at Donald and Dr. Phanin to stop fighting? Donald, the crazy man who threatened to shoot the doctors because…

Because he knew the visitors were in danger.

Everything came back to Nate. Leaving the camp for gas, returning to find everyone gone, coming to the clinic, getting injected by the syringe. What had he been injected with? Was it the virus? _Was he going to die?_

The muscles in Nate's face tensed into a savage scowl. The doctors were doing everything in their power to ruin his life.

And this _bitch_ was one of them.

**| [Attack doctor] |**  
| [Do nothing] |

Ritika saw the look in Nate's eyes and knew he was going to attack her. She had enough time to raise her arms before he threw himself at her. The woman was rammed into the wall as Nate wrapped his hands around her throat. Her fingers, which had been level to her neck seconds before Nate attacked her, kept him from suffocating her completely.

**(?) You attacked the doctor**

"Stop!" Ritika's voice fought against her rising panic and pain. Nate's anger compensated for his physical weakness.

| [Stop choking her] |  
| Make me |  
**| Why? |**  
| … |

"Why should I, you kidnapping bitch?" Nate seethed. He leaned forward, applying more pressure. The doctor's fingers bones poked at the palms of his hands. He would end up breaking them in an effort to straggle the woman if he continued. He couldn't recall breaking anyone's fingers in the past, but he knew it would be easier than breaking a neck.

"I'm on your side." The woman rasped. She tried to push back, but Nate's rage induced strength overpowered hers.

| [Stop choking her] |  
| Stop talking |  
**| I don't believe you |**  
| … |

"I don't believe you." Nate growled. He couldn't remove Ritika's hands from her neck and run the risk her escaping, but he could pull her forward and bash her head into the wall until she died. It would be quick. She didn't deserve a rapid death but he didn't have the time to make it last.

"You won't-" Ritika wheezed. "You won't be able to find your friends if you kill me. _Stop!"_

| [Kill woman] |  
| You know where they are? |  
| Fine |  
**| … |**

He needed to see them again. The possibility that he was infected should've been his greatest concern, but it wasn't. The fate of Charlie and Vaughan weighed him down the most. He was afraid he came too late. Afraid he failed to save them like he failed to save the baby. Like he failed to save Casey. He couldn't go through that another time. He needed them to be all right. He needed to know they could make it on their own if he was infected. _He needed to see them again._

Ritika's eyes rolled upwards. Nate let her go. He stepped out of the way as she collapsed forward.

**(?) You let the doctor live**

He waited through her coughing and panting fit until she caught her breath. The woman rose to her feet, legs quivering. A purple bruise wrapped around her throat.

| Why the change of heart? |  
**| Don't betray me |**  
| Where are Vaughan and Charlie? |  
| … |

"When you backstab me, I'll kill you." Nate warned.

"I won't." She told him.

"Why should I believe you?" He scoffed. The woman rubbed her neck.

"…When we were unpacking the camp, Dr. Nāgá wanted to take the little French girl." She said. Nate's eyes widened. Ritika continued. "A few of us convinced her to leave the girl behind. As I was picking out the supplies the little girl needed until the rest of you came back, I thought about how wrong it was for Dr. Nāgá to suggest we take her. Though our intention wasn't to hurt her, she would most likely die. She didn't deserve that. She was innocent… but the other people we took were innocent too."

"Our good intentions doesn't change the trust we betrayed and the people we killed who came to us for help. It would be worth it if there were a possible cure for the virus, but I honestly believe there isn't. We're kidnapping people and murdering them for a hopeless cause. I don't want to fight for that cause anymore. What you're doing is far more selfless that what we're doing now." The woman's hand dropped from her neck. She looked trustworthy and sounded sincere, but so had Dr. Nāgá.

**| I'm not selfless |**  
| I understand |  
| I'm keeping an eye on you |  
| … |

"I'm not selfless." Nate told her. "You assholes kidnapping the sick people at the camp was a dick move, but I don't give a shit. I don't know those people." The woman stared at him, her face growing tense with disbelief.

"Then why-" She started.

"You _took_ one of my friends." Nate's tone caused Ritika to flinch. "The other one went after him and now she's gone too. _You don't fuck with my friends._ I only came for them. That's it."

"…You're not going to save the others?" Ritika asked.

| Yes |  
| No |  
**| Maybe |**  
| … |

"…If Vaughan is well enough then maybe." Nate told her after thinking it over. "But if he's not then we're gettin' the fuck out of here." The woman opened her mouth, paused, and then closed it again. Nate assumed she wanted to chastise him but realized she was in no position to do so.

"…There's a woman close by." Ritika murmured. "She broke into the facility last night. I assume that's the friend you're talking about. I'll take you to her." She walked towards the door. Nate followed. He allowed himself to be relieved for a moment before paranoia took over. Charlie might be alive, but the doctor could be lying. Ritika could lead him to an ambush. Nate smiled. They wouldn't kill him. He wouldn't let them. He had to save his friends first. And if they were dead, he would murder everyone. Simple as that.

Nate's smile stretched until his face hurt.

* * *

Every echo their footsteps made rang out like burglar alarms in the quiet of the basement halls. Nate didn't pay attention to the noise, focusing instead on the doctor's back and the potential attack that waited behind every closed door. Ritika slowed to a stop. Nate stopped with her. The door she stood in front of looked like all the other doors they passed. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out a key. She placed it in the lock and turned it. The lock clicked. Nate raised his gun. If this was a trap, he was prepared. Ritika's shoulders hitched when she saw the weapon. Nate jerked his gun, motioning for her to open the door. She looked back at the handle, shoulders tense, and opened it.

The lights were off. Ritika flicked them on. It was a small janitor's closet, the only dirty area Nate had seen so far. Cleaning equipment and a garbage can were knocked over on one side of the room. Charlie sat across from it.

"Motherfuck… ow!" She hissed in pain. She hid her eyes in the crook of her left arm. The other arm was handcuffed to the pipes of a sink. Her clothes were wrinkled and dusty like she had been rolling on the floor. The right side of her face was also dirty and had two scratch marks going down her cheek. The bun kept most of her hair from getting messy in whatever confrontation she had with the doctors.

Nate lowered the gun. He wasn't too late. She was alive. Nate let out a short but greatly relieved laugh.

Charlie snapped her head up. She squinted, her eyes still not adjusted to the light. She didn't look tired. Either she found a way to sleep despite her circumstances, or her plans for revenge had kept her energized like caffeine. Nate guessed it was the latter. Charlie took slow, hard blinks until she got used to the brightness of the room.

She glared at him, recognition lacking in her eyes. A few moments past before the glare was replaced by wide-eyed shock. A look of absolute relief flashed over her face, a smile nearly formed on her lips, before it was replaced with almost forced irritation.

"Oh look who it is," Charlie said. "Sir 'I'm thinking to hard'."

**| Madame 'Rock up the ass' |**  
| I can leave you here |  
| You're really going to do this now? |  
| … |

"Hello Madame 'rock up the ass'." Nate chimed. "Make any diamonds today?"

"Enough to drown you in." Charlie retorted. Nate laughed.

"Here's the key to the handcuffs." Ritika said. The semi-forced annoyance with Nate turned to very real scorn as Charlie stared daggers at the doctor. Ritika ignored it and placed the small key in Nate's hand. He knelt down in front of Charlie. He lightly brushed the dirt off the side of her face. She let him, wincing whenever he accidentally touched the scratch marks.

"_It's not as complicated as you're making it to be in your head."_ Charlie mocked him. His voice wasn't that high. _"You're just trying to find something wrong with this place."_ Vaughan's voice wasn't that high either. He stopped wiping her face and looked for the keyway of the cuffs.

| Stop it |  
| I'm sorry |  
**| Are you alright? |**  
| … |

"You alright?" Nate asked. "They inject you with anythin'?" He was already planning to kill the head doctor for whatever she put in him, but if Charlie or Vaughan were infected, he torture Dr. Nāgá first. Wasn't she afraid of amputations? Maybe he'd chop her arm off, just below the string that kept the virus from flowing to the rest of her body. Then he'd untie the string and watch her turn.

"No. They didn't." Charlie said. She frowned down at the cuffs as Nate found the keyway.

"Good." Nate's voice lacked any hint of the dark place his mind had gone to. Charlie looked up. He met her gaze. She looked away, trying not to smile.

**(?) Charlie noticed your concern**

Nate opened the handcuffs. Charlie pulled her arms away from the pipe and rotated her wrists. Red indents left their mark on her skin. She grabbed the sink and tried to pull herself up. Nate took hold of her arms and help her the rest of the way. She stretched; shaking her arms, rotating her legs, cracking her back and neck. She patted the dirt off her clothes before looking back at the doctor.

Ritika stood at the corner of the room, patiently waiting for Charlie finish so they could leave. Charlie stormed toward the doctor. The punch knocked Ritika backward. Her foot got caught in a plastic bag and she tripped. There was a loud thud as her back hit the floor.

"That's for kidnapping Vaughan, you cunt." Charlie snarled. "If you even breathe wrong, I will fucking kill you."

"I'm… I'm here to help." Ritika said. She had the common sense to not sound offended by the attack and the lack of trust Charlie had in her, but her voice still held an indignant tone.

"You fucking better." Charlie retorted. Nate walked to her side. He handed her one of the guns and magazines. She took them, never letting her eyes leave the doctor. Ritika slowly rose to her feet.

**| Let's find Vaughan |**  
| You're outnumbered |  
| Give her a break Charlie |  
| … |

"Where did you say Vaughan was?" Nate asked Ritika.

"I didn't," The doctor responded, "But he's on the fourth floor. I'll take you to the room."

"Let's go." Charlie said. They left the janitor's closet.

* * *

**/!\ Quietly sneak up the stairs to the fourth floor**

The three of them ascended the stairs; Ritika leading, Nate and Charlie trailing after her. They carefully placed their weight on each step, making as little noise as possible. Nate and Charlie held their guns tightly in their hands. Whenever they passed a door, Nate heard people talking in loud, sometimes frantic tones. He listened to each conversation, trying to gage the proximity of the voices.

First floor.

"…ow many people this time?"

"Three I think."

"Shit! How'd they find us!?"

"I bet it was that bitch in the basement."

"I thought the undead would've killed them all."

"Maybe the van's alarm didn't attract a big enough hoard."

"Big enough hoard? A 'small' hoard should've been enough to kill five peop…"

Nate and Charlie glanced at each other, identical expressions of disbelief and anger on their faces. Ritika's head lowered in shame.

Second floor.

"…on't understand why we didn't take the visitors with us like we usually do. They would've added to our test subjects and we wouldn't be dealing with this right now."

"Dr. Nāgá has a new theory that sick people might be the key to curing the virus."

"What? How?"

"She thinks that one disease might be able to trump the virus. And if it's a disease that we already have a cure for, then w…"

So Nate had been wrong. The doctors weren't taking the sick ones because their chances were low. He thought he understood the logic in that theory, but what if the cure for the virus was a disease they _couldn't_ cure. Would a person have to choose between becoming a psycho or having polio, lupus, or AIDS for the rest of their life?

Nate frowned. AIDS didn't cure the virus. Sissy's mother was dead. What the hell was he going to tell the little girl?

Third floor.

Before the three of them passed the door, it swung open. They flinched backward. Nate and Charlie raised their guns.

"Where are you going? Come back here."

"I'm going to look for Ritika."

"Why?"

"She's been acting strange lately. I want to make sure she's alright."

"You think she's going to quit on us?"

"…I think she needs some motivation, that's all."

"I understand, but we don't have the time for that right now. We need your help to find the intruders. Let's go."

"…Fine."

The door closed. Nate and Charlie lowered their guns, sighing in unison. The doctor said nothing. She faltered at the door for a moment before continuing up the stairs.

Fourth floor.

Nate slowly opened the door. His gun poked out of the entrance before his head did. There was no sign of people, doctor or otherwise. Nate gestured to Charlie and Ritika as he left the stairwell. They followed him into the hall. The doctor pointed to a door three rooms away.

"He's in there." She said. Nate and Charlie ran. He had enough time to wonder if they'd find a psycho instead of their friend before he threw open the door. Dr. Phanin jumped at the sound of the knob bashing against the wall. A large, bloody wad was stuffed into his injured ear. Cuffs were in his hand. He stood beside the bed Vaughan laid in. Nate growled. This motherfucker _again?_ He was going to-

Charlie stampeded towards the doctor. He hesitated a moment too long before running. Charlie tackled him. They went through the cloth bed divider and hit the ground. Dr. Phanin yelped in pain. Ritika came into the room in time to see Charlie on top of the other doctor, throwing punches at his head. Nate looked away from them and walked towards Vaughan.

He slept; his mouth opened slightly, face relaxed, head tilted to the side, blissfully unaware that his life was in danger. Or unaware that he was dying. Nate didn't know if Vaughan had been infected. He looked no worse than he did the last time Nate saw him, but he could've recently been injected with the virus. Nate tightened his grip on the gun and clenched his fist. He wanted to save both of them. Not just Charlie or Vaughan. _Both of them._

Ritika picked up a chart at the end of the bed. Nate watched her flip through the pages.

"He was prepped for injection," Ritika told him. "But he's in the clear." Nate nearly let go of his gun. Vaughan was okay. Charlie was okay. They still had to get out of the clinic, but for the first time that day, Nate felt something akin to peace. He hadn't been too late.

**(o) Wake Vaughan**

Nate shook Vaughan's shoulder. The younger man groaned, eyes fluttering open. It took a moment for his tired brain and bad vision to recognize the other man. When he did, a warm smile crept onto his face.

"Nate." Vaughan beamed. "Hi." He sat up, covering a yawn with the back of his hand. Nate knelt down.

"Hey man." Nate's voice swam with relief.

"I'd thought you'd be here soon." Vaughan said. He rubbed his eyes and yawned again.

"What, you think I'd drag my feet rescuing ya?" It was a light dig at his comment more than a serious question, yet Vaughan's smile faded for a moment. When it came back, it had a puzzled edge to it.

"Rescuing." Vaughan repeated. "…What do I need rescuing from?"

"Wha… Vee, why do you think you're here?" Nate asked. Vaughan stopped smiling again.

"…Because we have to be." Vaughan said slowly. He looked between Nate and Ritika. "The doctors told us it was too dangerous to stay at the camp and that we had stay here. They said a few of them would stay behind to wait for you guys so you could meet up with us later." Just when Nate thought he couldn't hate these people any more, they'd pull another bullshit move and one up themselves.

"You were lied you." Ritika told Vaughan. She purposefully avoided Nate's glare. "They… we brought you here to find a cure for the virus. The, um, undead one."

"…T-that's not a bad thing." Vaughan looked lost, but through the weight in his tone it was clear he realized what was going on. Realized it, and trying to reject it's reality.

The attempt at denying the situation he was in went unnoticed by Ritika. Instead, mistaking his comment for a lack of understanding, she spoke slower and stressed her words."No. We're using all of you as test subjects. _We aren't going to cure you of your cancer._ I'm so sorry." Misinterpretation was impossible now, especially when it came from a doctor. They both knew it. Vaughan stared at Ritika. She averted her eyes, looking in the direction of Charlie and Dr. Phanin.

The light that had been in Vaughan's eyes when he first woke up began to flicker. He pulled his legs up to his chest and lowered his head onto his knees.

**| We'll get these fuckers |**  
| We need to go |  
| You'll be okay |  
| … |

"We'll make those fuckers pay for what they did." Nate told him.

"Why do I keep doing this?" Vaughan murmured. Nate didn't know what he meant by that. Was he talking about hope? Did he mean to say 'why do I keep hoping'? He placed a hand on Vaughan's shoulder and squeezed. Vaughan placed his own hand on top of Nate's and looked at him. An apologetic air that Nate couldn't understand surrounded him.

The crack of a broken bone snapped them out of their thoughts. Charlie emerged from the cloth divider and walked towards the bed. Blood dripped down her spasming fingers. She stared at Vaughan with an intensity that stayed in her eyes. The rest of her face lacked any emotion. Vaughan shrunk away from her; it was so subtle that Nate could only feel it through the hand on his shoulder.

"Ch-" The rest of her name went muffled in Vaughan's mouth as Charlie kissed him. His clothes absorbed her bloody hand prints. Ritika moved to Dr. Phanin's side.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Vaughan said through the brief moment their lips parted.

"We need to get out of here." Charlie told him, pulling away. Vaughan nodded and stood out of bed. Ritika came back, features drawn and pale as her dark complexion would allow her. She absentmindedly wiped blood off the tips of her fingers.

"Are you helping the others?" Vaughan asked the doctor.

"I… I'm going to try." Ritika said.

"Okay. I'll help." Vaughan said.

"What?" Charlie gawked. "No!" Not even a minute into their reunion and they were already fighting. Unbelievable. Nate rolled his eyes.

"Charlie, we can't leave these people to die." Vaughan said. The doctor nodded.

"_We'll _die if we stay here too long!" Charlie argued.

| Saving everyone isn't hard |  
| I'm not dying for strangers |  
**| I'm torn |**  
| … |

"This is dangerous as fuck." Nate said, rubbing the irritation on his neck. "But there are people in here who need a good ass kickin' for what they did."

**(?) You gave a neutral answer**

"…I wanna kick their asses too." Charlie said.

"This is about saving people, _not_ getting revenge." Ritika said. Nate and Charlie glared at her.

"She's right." Vaughan said. "We need to focus on the kidnapped."

"Why not do both?" Nate suggested. "You two save the patients, we'll beat the shit out of the doctors."

Vaughan frowned. "I-"

"Quiet!" Ritika said. "Do you hear that?" Everyone listened. A series of footsteps echoed through the halls, getting louder as they approached the room. Nate couldn't gage how many people were making the noise.

"Hide!" Ritika whispered. "I'll cover for you." She left the room without another word. Nate and Charlie pulled the cloth divider around the bed.

"If she brings the bastards in here _I swear to god_ I'm killing her first!" Charlie hissed.

| Quiet |  
**| Me first |**  
| She's on our side |  
| … |

"Not if _I_ kill her first." Nate said. Vaughan shushed the both of them. Charlie glared at him but said nothing farther. Ritika's voice joined the footfalls outside the room. Nate couldn't make out what she was saying. It was Hindi, he assumed, since it was the only language aside from English Nate knew Indians spoke. A few voices responded back to the doctor, also in Hindi. The language barrier did not stop him from hearing caution and skepticism in their tones. Whatever Ritika was feeding them, they weren't shallowing it very well.

"…Shouldn't we go after her?" Vaughan whispered.

"Fucking why?" Charlie asked.

"She might… she might be in…" Vaughan frowned, confused at his sudden difficulty at speaking. "S-she might be in dange…" His eyes rolled upward. He collapsed to the ground, landing on his back. His body jerked. It was if an earthquake had ripped apart his bones and caused aftershocks in his muscles. His hands waved and his feet stomped erratically against the floor. His mouth moved rapidly as he panted and wheezed.

"_Holy shit!"_ Nate screamed, the danger they were in and the necessity of silence forgotten. _"What-"_

"He's having another seizure!" Charlie's voice was just as loud and panicked as his. "Help me turn him over!" Charlie knelt down and took hold of Vaughan's shoulders.

**««Q»»**

They both turned Vaughan to his side. It was like turning an active jackhammer.

"How do we make it stop!?" Nate demanded.

"We can't!" Charlie told him. "We gotta wait it out!"

"_Fuck!"_ Nate growled. Startled noises bounced off the halls outside the room. The doctors began arguing with Ritika, who Nate distractedly assumed, was trying to stop them from entering the room. The arguing turned into a screaming match. Then a gun went off.

Silence.

"Nate!" Charlie's voice was hoarse. "Barricade the door. I'll deal with Vaughan."

**/!\ Barricade the door before the doctors come**

Nate let go of Vaughan's juddering body and stood. He snapped his head around the room and looked for things to barricade the door.

**(o)**

He lifted the mattress off the bed frame and ran to the door.

**(o)**

Letting go of the mattress, Nate slammed the door shut. Before it completely closed, he heard Ritika groan, or maybe it was a sob, before the gun went off again.

**(o)**

He picked the mattress up.

**(o)**

He slammed it against the door. Nate looked around the room again. There were boxes on the ground. He grabbed them and stacked them against the mattress.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)**

As he was stacking the last box in place, the door jerked forward and went ajar.

"Whose in there!?" A deep voice demanded from the other side.

| It's me |  
| A doctor |  
**| Santa |**  
| … |

"I'm Indian Santa Clause." Nate shot back. "Ho ho ho motherfucker!" He raised his gun through the space of the door and pulled the trigger. Baritone gurgling followed the fire. The man behind the door collapsed.

"Enjoy your Christmas gift _you son of a bitch!"_ Nate sounded like a lunatic. He didn't care. The door started jerking forward again.

"Nate! We need to get out of here _now!"_ Charlie ordered. Nate quickly scanned the area. There were no other doors except one on the far end of the room. It led into another room.

"There!" Nate said. "Hurry! I'll pick up Vaughan." Charlie hesitated before running to the other room. Nate rushed to Vaughan side. He was still trembling, though not as powerfully as before.

**(o) Pick up Vaughan**

Nate placed his arms under Vaughan's legs and back.

"Don't choke." Nate whispered. He lifted Vaughan up. The strength in his entire body leaked out of his feet. Nate almost dropped him. He stumbled forward, using willpower to keep Vaughan in his arms. He regained his balanced and darted to the room, passing Dr. Phanin's bloody and beaten body. Charlie slammed and locked the door behind him.

The room had no exit.

"Shit!" Nate swore. "I thought there was a way out from here!" The doctors burst through the barricade.

"Never mind that! Just block the door!" Charlie told him. Nate placed Vaughan on the ground, making sure to keep him on his side. Jumping to his feet caused the earth to jump and tilt. Nate nearly fell before helping Charlie barricade the door with more boxes.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)**

The doctors slammed against the door. It did nothing but create a loud banging noise. Nate and Charlie sprinted to the side. They could see four silhouettes through the translucent glass on the door.

"Get the key." A doctor's muffled voice ordered.

"Don't." Another doctor said. "There's no way out of that room except through this door. They're not a threat was long as they're trapped." They were at the complete mercy of the doctors, who at any time could unlock the door, kick over the boxes, and shoot them dead. Nate screamed and smashed his hand against the glass. The doctors flinched away.

"K-keep two people posted here at all times." A third voice said. Nate moved his hand away from the glass and shook the pain out of it. What the fuck were they going to do? He looked down at Vaughan. He was no longer moving.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Trapped Traid  
—

* * *

Vaughan opened his eyes five minutes after they barricaded themselves in the room. Charlie, who used her lap as a pillow for his head, brought this to Nate's attention, who then rushed towards the two of them. No matter how much they talked to him or shook him, Vaughan wouldn't answer back. He kept staring at the ceiling, eyes void of emotion. Occasionally his eyes would close only to open moments later, expression still blank.

Charlie combed her fingers through his hair, glaring at the barricaded door and the silhouetted doctors behind it. Nate sat in front of her, also looking at the door and it's silhouettes. His hand rested on Vaughan's shoulder. He didn't bother to move it after he gave up trying to snap him out of his stupor.

He wasn't extremely worried about Vaughan not responding in the immediate future, he would carry him out of the building if he had to, but he was concerned about the possibility of Vaughan being unresponsive _forever._ Nate didn't know if seizures could make a person brain dead and he did not want to find out. Not through Vaughan.

The worst part about it was his eyes. They looked lost, but with an indifference to being lost. Living people weren't supposed to look like that. Nate tried not to stare at them, but his focus kept getting drawn away from the door and back to his friend's vacant eyes.

Nate felt like crap. Whatever was running through his veins was doing a number on his body. He realized that, though he had seen people die and then turn into psychos, he never saw the gradual transformation from living to dead. He never saw a person's skin go dark and sickly, the light fade from their eyes, their breathing stop, the stillness of their death, and reanimation. He had nothing to compare his symptoms to. What he was going through could be a sign of becoming a psycho- a _undead_ psycho, he was possibly crazy already- or just an allergic reaction. He didn't know, and not knowing was worse than being infected.

Fifteen minutes after trapping themselves into the room, Vaughan let out a pained groan. His eyes regained the flickering light that had appeared ever since he was told he wasn't going to get help from the lying doctors. Charlie and Nate looked down at him with equal expressions of surprise and relief.

"Vaughan!" Charlie said. "大丈夫?" The younger man rolled his head in her lap. He responded to her, strained and constantly halting, in Japanese. Charlie spoke back in their native tongue.

"What'd he say?" Nate asked.

"He asked where he was. He's a bit out of it." Charlie told him. Vaughan said something else and she replied. Nate guessed by the growing look of concern on Vaughan's face that she was telling him the current situation they were in. Charlie placed a hand under his head and shoulder.

"Help me sit him up." She told Nate. He grabbed onto Vaughan's arms. They both slowly lifted him off her lap and leaned him against the wall. Charlie patted down his hair before standing up.

"…Let's figure out what to do." Charlie said. She walked to the side of door, edging as close to the barricade as she could.

**(o) Look at Vaughan**

His body was ragdoll-like in limpness. It was as if the seizure had melted his bones away. Nate realized that despite gaining consciousness, he still might have to carry him out of the clinic. His mind again went to the possibility of Vaughan's condition being permanent. Nate tried to dismiss the thought. Vaughan woke up and he was responsive now. Even if he didn't get better right away, he _would_ eventually get better.

Nate frowned. Vaughan looked back at him. His gaze went in and out of focus, his eyes closing for a few seconds before fluttering open again. It was an improvement to the blank stare, but still very concerning. Vaughan tried to smile but it faltered in the weight of exhaustion and pain that clearly shown on his face.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

Vaughan groaned. "痛い…"

"Speak English." Nate said.

"Head hurts… _Ow."_ Vaughan moaned. He tried to raise his hand to forehead but it dropped before he reached halfway.

"That's cuz you had another seizure." Nate told him.

"I did?" Vaughan asked. He opened his eyes and looked warily at Nate when he nodded. "Never… I…"

"What?" Nate asked.

"I never… wanted you or Charlie… to die because of me…" Vaughan's voice was filled with weak but earnest remorse.

| Stop talking |  
| That's what we do |  
**| We're not going to die |**  
| … |

"We're ain't gonna die." Nate stated firmly.

"But we're trapped." Vaughan said. "…Wait…" He looked up at the wall behind Nate's head. He stared at it as intently as his weak body would allow. His eyes began to lose focus. Nate cupped Vaughan's chin, gently turning his head until Vaughan looked at him again.

"There's a vent… over there." Vaughan breathed. "You and Charlie can… crawl in there and… get away." Nate looked at the wall. The vent cover was off its hinges.

**| What about you? |**  
| That's an idea |  
| We're not leaving you |  
| … |

"How're we supposed to drag you through the vents?" Nate asked, turning back to Vaughan. The younger man gave an apologetic smile.

"You're not." Vaughan said softly. Nate's eyes narrowed. Like hell he was going to leave him here. The words were about to leave his mouth when Vaughan's eyes fluttered close. His head drooped against Nate's hand and his laboured breathing intensified.

"_Vaughan."_ Nate barked. No response. Nate stared at him for a moment longer, waiting for Vaughan to wake up again. He didn't. Nate sighed and let go of his chin. As he stood up, he caught sight of Charlie staring at him. _We're not leaving him,_ her eyes said. She turned back to the door.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

"Hey." Nate said when he reached her. She turned away from the door and leaned against the wall.

"Hey." She returned.

**| Are you okay? |**  
| About Ritika… |  
| Dr. Nāgá is a whore |  
| Exit |

"You okay?" Nate asked. Charlie paused before nodding.

**(?) Charlie noticed your concern**

"I ain't bleedin'. Nothing's broken and I'm too keyed up to be tired. But…" A frustrated gust of air jetted out of her mouth. "If I were given infinite amount of time to explain how infuriated I am right now, it wouldn't be enough. I want to murder every one of them. _Real_ doctors are supposed to _help people." _Nate thought he heard a small amount of hurt in her voice, but looking at her face he could only see rage.

**| I feel the same |**  
| Vaughan's too sick for that |  
| Anger won't help anything |  
| … |

"I want to kill them too." He said. He glared at the silhouettes behind the door. The shadows were unaffected by their anger.

"But we can't, not now that Vaughan's gone through another seizure." Charlie said. "We gotta focus on gettin' out of here as fast as we can. But if any of them get in my way…" She balled her hands into fists.

**| About Ritika… |**  
| Dr. Nāgá is a whore |  
| Exit |

"They shot one of their own." Nate stated.

"Of course they did." Charlie said. "They're motherfuckin' assholes. Not like the bitch didn't deserve it."

| She didn't deserve it |  
| Serves her right |  
**| She was helping us |**  
| … |

"She did make things easier for us." Nate said.

"True," Charlie agreed. "But but that doesn't make up for what she's done." The silhouettes didn't react to the talk of their fallen colleague. Nate realized that they couldn't hear through the door.

**| Dr. Nāgá is a whore |**  
| Exit |

He couldn't hurt them- and he wanted to hurt them _so badly-_ but he could irritate the hell out of them.

"Dr. Nāgá must suck a lot of dick to have so many people working with her." Nate's obnoxiously loud voice bounced off the door. Charlie squinted at him, then followed his gaze. They both noticed the doctors shifting awkwardly outside. Charlie smiled.

"She probably has a bucket." She replied, voice equally as loud and unpleasant.

"A bucket?" Nate asked.

"She's fucked so many guys her cunt all loose and flabby like silly putty." Charlie explained. "She could fit a whole baseball up there I bet." The doctors shifted again. Nate laughed. Bucket was an _amazing_ term, why hadn't he heard it before?

"Only a baseball?" Nate mused. "I'm sure she's looser than that. Bet she could fit a football up there."

"Or a bowling ball." Charlie said.

"Are bowling balls bigger than footballs?"

"I can't remember. She could fit a tennis racket."

"Or an electric guitar."

"Or an elephant's dick."

"Cthulhu could fuck her and wouldn't feel shit cuz her silly putty twat is so goddamn loose."

"Shut the fuck up in there!" One of the doctors hollered. They saw the shadow of the doctor raise a gun to the glass. "I will shoot you through the motherfucking door if you don't shut your mouths!"

**(?) The doctors think you're an asshole**

Nate bent over, grabbing his legs as he guffawed. Charlie wrapped her arms around her stomach and let out loud cackles. The doctor hammered his gun against the door. He demanded they stop laughing. They ignored him, more due to their inability to stop than stubbornness.

Nate almost managed to calm down until he looked at Vaughan. The unconscious man's face was bright red. He must have woken up, listened to their banter, then passed out again while his face turned into a cherry. Nate went into another bout of laughter. Charlie, also seeing what happened to her boyfriend, laughed with him.

Their laughter died down naturally, though it felt far too soon for Nate. But they were still in danger, the people outside still wanted to kill them, and they still didn't know how to get out of the room. They couldn't relax for long until they were somewhere safe.

**| Exit |**

"I'm gonna look around." Nate told her. Charlie nodded.

"Tell me if you see a way for _all_ of us to get out." She paused. "If we got no other choice, we can always push past the doctors. We'll probably die but it's better than rotting here."

"…Only as a last resort." Nate said. He didn't want any of them to die, but going out in a hail of gunfire was better than starving in the stupid room.

"Of course." Charlie agreed. "I don't want us to die. But I _refuse_ to be trapped like an animal." Nate nodded. He turned away from her and scanned the room. There was no means of escape that he could see.

Except for the vent.

**(o) Look at vent**

It was too small. Even if Nate manage to pull himself through, he'd no doubt get stuck inside.

"I won't fit. Charlie might be able to squeeze through, but I ain't even sure of that." Nate murmured to himself. He wasn't disappointed. He never intended on leaving without Vaughan, so-

A noise came from the vent. Nate squinted, listening intently. It sounded like… _crawling._

"Charlie, someone's in the vents!" Nate alerted, moving his head away. Charlie spun around, eyes wide. They both thought the same thing: The doctors using the vents to get to them. Charlie ran to his side.

"When you see the fucker, shoot'em." Charlie ordered. She pressed herself against the wall beside the vent. Nate and Charlie raised their guns in unison; she lifting hers to her shoulder, he aiming his into the vent. The patter of hands and knees connecting with metal grew louder. Nate shifted the weapon in his hands. The head on the intruder came into view. The head turned and looked at Nate.

Nate's mouth flew open.

"_Jude!?"_ Nate exclaimed. Drawled laughter wafted through the vents. The pothead crawl-waddled towards him, grinning like a moron.

"_Hi dude!"_ Jude greeted, metallic voice echoing off the walls. Nate shushed him. "Hi dude." He repeated in a quieter voice. Nate never gave Jude and Raymond much thought after he separated from them. He never expected to see the both of them again. But here Jude was, nearly falling on his ass pulling himself out of the vent. Nate lowered his gun, grabbed onto his arms and kept him from hitting the ground.

Charlie relaxed, though she still regarded the man with some suspicion.

| Where are the others? |  
**| Why were you in the vents? |**  
| Hi Jude |  
| … |

"The fuck were you doing in the vents man?" Nate asked.

"I was the air dude." Jude chimed. "I was channeling the power of the wind and breezing through, yah." He wiggled his arms in the air, demonstrating how he moved through the vents. Charlie shot Nate an incredulous look.

"…Okay," Nate said. "But _why _were you doin' that?" The pothead looked up at the ceiling. He made a dumb _'uhhh'_ sound as he thought. Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah!" Jude grinned as the light bulb powered by weed turned on in his head. "We found the other sick people but the doors were locked. Ray-man saw a vent and told me to climb through and open each of the rooms. We can make a distraction for all of you after I get the sick dudes." They had a way out of the room now. Nate grinned.

| Be quick |  
**| Will you remember? |**  
| We should meet up afterwards |  
| … |

"Will you _remember_ to make a distraction?" Nate asked.

"Yeah dude." Jude said. "Chillax, it's all good. Fucking eye of the tiger and shit."

"We're going to die in this room." Charlie deadpanned.

"Later dudes." Jude said. He nearly kicked Nate in the face as he pulled himself back through the vent. They listened to the metallic patter fade away.

Now it was time to play the waiting game, not only for Jude and Raymond to help them out, but to see if he would turn. Nate rubbed his neck, hands once again brushing against the injected area. It burned whenever he touched it but he couldn't seem to stop. Charlie walked up to him and grabbed his wrist.

"Is something wrong with your neck?" Charlie asked. "You keep rubbing it." She pulled his hand away before he could protest. She squinted at the injected area.

"What happened?" Charlie asked.

| I don't know |  
| Bug bite |  
**| Syringe |**  
| … |

He answered without thinking.

"It was a syrin…" Nate paused. "Shit." He needed to keep that to himself, at least until he knew for sure that he was going to turn. He didn't need Charlie freaking out on him. He hoped she would let his comment go.

**(?) You told Charlie the truth**

But of course she didn't.

"What? Syringe? Were…" Charlie paused. "Were you injected with the virus?"

"…Maybe." Nate admitted. Charlie punched him in the face. He'd been hit harder by her in the past, but the foreign substances in his body made the attack hurt ten times as much as it normally would. Black splotches briefly appeared in his vision as the blow caused him to stumble back a few steps.

"What the _fuck!?"_ Nate cried.

"Who did it!?" Charlie demanded. "Who injected you!? When did this happen!?" She circled around him, her furrowed eyes never leaving his, until she positioned herself between Nate and Vaughan.

"It was the head doctor bitch." Nate told her. "And I don't fuckin' know how long ago that was! I passed out after it happened." He didn't like the way Charlie's eyes darted from the irritation on his neck to his eyes.

| You need me right now |  
**| We don't have time to deal with this |**  
| Are you going to kill me? |  
| … |

"We don't have time for this." A part of him felt like screaming, but Nate couldn't risk a hole being blasted into his head in retaliation; either due to a bullet or the dizzying whirlwind finally punching through his skull. "After we leave, we'll figure everythin' out. Okay?"

"Assuming we get out of this room. I don't think that pothead moron'll get out of the fuckin' vents, let alone help us." Charlie snapped. "I might be stuck in a room with a psycho."

| Boo fucking hoo |  
| I'm not a psycho yet |  
**| You don't know I'm infected |**  
| … |

"Ya don't know I'm infected." Nate said.

"I don't know that you _aren't_ either." Charlie argued. "This is _bullshit! _I can't believe you cheated on me!"

"I… wait _what?"_ The abrupt change in conversation was only beneficial in taking away some of the stress. Nate was too confused to be on edge. Where was this coming from? Why now?

"I know the only reason we were together was because you needed to put your dick in something so your could get over your brother, but I let that happen!" Charlie continued. "I was okay with the stupid thing we had together because I wanted you to get better, and you fucking cheat on me!? Ungrateful son of a bitch!"

"I'm… sorry?" Everything came out as a question; he was too caught off guard to turn them into statements. "I didn't mean to hurt you? I wasn't thinking about you at all?"

"That's right. You weren't thinking. You _never_ fucking think. That's why you're infected you dumb piece of shit!" Dangerous levels of resentment stained her words and made resolving the issue unscathed near impossible. At least the topic of conversation returned to the present. It was more manageable than a past he couldn't change.

| Everything will be fine |  
**| Don't do anything stupid |**  
| We'll deal with this later |  
| … |

Nate spoke as calmly as he could. "Charlie, don't do anything st-" Charlie rammed her arms into his chest. Nate yelped in surprise. He stumbled backwards, stopping only when he hit the wall. Before Nate could defend himself against another attack, Charlie rushed him. The back of his head bounced off the wall as she pinned him to it. He made a move to push her off but froze when he felt barrel of a gun press against his lower jaw. He instinctively raised his head. The gun rose with it.

Nate looked down at her. He only moved his eyes to do this to avoid antagonizing her any farther. Her head was lowered, forehead inches away from Nate's chest.

Each word stressed against the emotions that tried to rip through Charlie's throat like gravel. "I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone. All the two of you have ever done was hold me back. Fucking die. I don't give a shit." The metallic click of the safety unlocking punctuated her last word. Nate felt the lukewarm gun shake against his skin.

| Put the gun down |  
| It sounds like you care to me |  
**| You're not doing it right |**  
| … |

"Charlie," Nate spoke softly. "If you're gonna kill me, you have to pull the trigger." The gun continued to shake.

**(o)**

Nate inched his hand upward. He wrapped his fingers around Charlie's wrist. Muscles flinched; the gun pressed deeper into his jaw. She didn't fire. Nate slowly moved the gun away from him. Charlie her arm reach half way to her side before wrenching from his hold.

She turned from him, stiff as stone. She moved away like she was trying to keep her composure while struggling through cold and rapid tides. Charlie stopped in the corner of the room, to the right of the door. Her shoulders were raised. Her hands trembled, the one holding the gun more so than the one not.

Was Charlie _crying?_ That was impossible. The balls-of-steal, take-no-shit girl he used to date _never_ cried. Nate moved towards her, footsteps slow, drawn almost hypnotically by the odd sight. Charlie's back tensed as he closed the distance between them. He stopped an arm's length away from her. Charlie turned her head in his direction but stopped before he could see her eyes. What he could see of her face was red.

"Charlie…" Nate tried to make his voice strong, to command her to look at him by just saying her name. It came out hesitant and low instead.

"You too, huh?" She murmured.

| Calm down |  
| Are you crying? |  
**| I should've been careful |**  
| … |

"I should've been more careful." Nate said. "I-"

"You bastard." Her voice shook. "I hate you." She looked like she was trying to simultaneously curl into herself and straighten up. Nate frowned. He knew Charlie needed to be comforted, but he didn't know how. He was never good at consoling people and Charlie never needed consoling before. Besides, she was ice. If he hugged her, she wouldn't melt into it. She would freeze him solid.

**| Comfort |**

Except that wasn't true, was it? Charlie was cold but she wasn't heartless. He had seen her sad before if not to this extent, and she did care for both him and Vaughan in her own way. Even if he was right and the apocalypse didn't faze her, that didn't mean she was unbreakable. Maybe to Charlie, losing them was far worse than the world ending. She was human. Nate didn't know when he had forgotten that.

Nate moved forward until they were inches apart. He bent over, wrapping one arm around just below her bosom and the other just above. He rested his cheek against the side of her head. Charlie would probably hit him, but it wouldn't be the first time and he could take the abuse.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry."

**(?) You tried to comfort Charlie**

Charlie's entire body quaked with wet gasps and distressed groans that spasmed out of her. The noise, failing to be suppressed by her clenched teeth, sounded foreign and wrong coming from her. Nate grimaced. He never wanted to know that Charlie was capable breaking. He disliked the idea of her being stronger than him, it hurt his pride in a way he'd never admit; but seeing that she could be weaker was much worse. It hurt the part of him that used to love her.

Nate tightened his grip, pulling her closer to him. Charlie continued to cry. All he could do was wait for her to stop.

* * *

Voices speaking in rushed, frantic Hindi seeped through the cracks of the door. The silhouettes faded from the tinted glass. Nate and Charlie looked at each other. Her tears irritated the whites of her eyes into a filmy red.

"The pothead came through after all." Charlie said. "Let's go." His hand slipped from her waist as she stood up. She walked to the door and began moving the boxes away with little noise. Nate joined her. Doing nothing in the room allowed him to recuperate from whatever he'd been injected with. His head still spun and his body felt off, but he was far more prepared for the physical challenges that would come with escaping the clinic.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)**

Once the last boxed was removed, Nate turned his attention to Vaughan. The younger man stared at his toes in a daze.

"Can ya move?" Nate asked, kneeling in front of him.

"…Move?" Vaughan said. "Where are we… moving to?" Nate frowned. Invisible stones weighted down Vaughan's body. His face was heavy with exhaustion and his eyes kept losing focus. Even if he could walk on his own, his weak body and woozy mind made it impossible for him to move as fast as they needed him to.

"Never mind." Nate told him. Still kneeling, he turned his back to Vaughan. "C'mon. Piggyback time." His depleted strength would make it hard to carry him, but he was determined to get Vaughan out of there even if he had to drag him on the floor.

"Pigs?" Vaughan mumbled. He wrapped his arms around Nate's shoulders. Nate grabbed onto Vaughan's legs and stood. Any recovery he made by resting in the room disappeared. The gravity around him increased, most noticeably around his back. His legs bucked but he kept standing.

Charlie regarded both Nate and Vaughan as he walked to the door. Her eyes moved from their faces, to the hunch of Nate's struggling body, to the gun in Nate's pocket.

"You ain't gonna to be able to shoot like that." Charlie said. She relieved him of his gun and ammo. Nate couldn't help but notice how badass Charlie looked. Scratched face, intense eyes, ragged clothes, wielding two handguns; somewhere in the world a movie poster had a giant hole where an action hero should've been, and the missing piece was standing right in front of him.

The weight of Charlie's forehead on his shoulder broke this impression. She let out a shaky sigh. The possibility of losing them both- Vaughan through the damage done by his seizure or cancer, and Nate through whatever he was injected with- was still hard on Charlie like an anvil to the head. Her boyfriend and her… Aside from her ex, what was he to Charlie? Nate didn't know. But there'd be time to find out. He would make sure of that. He nuzzled the side of her head. Charlie sighed again.

"Stay on my ass." Her voice was soft despite the order.

| Maybe you should carry Vaughan |  
| Be careful |  
**| I will |**  
| … |

"Don't gotta tell me twice." There was a hint of perversion in Nate's voice. Charlie flicked his forehead.

"Good." With that, Charlie pulled away from him and turned to the door. The knob looked large in her hand.

"On the count of three." She whispered.

"One." This was it.

"Two." They would survive together or die together.

"_Three."_ As it should be.

Charlie unlocked the door and pulled it open. Two doctors, presumably the ones who had been guarding the door, turned towards the now opened door. Seconds of shock passed through everyone in the room before before Charlie shot them both in the head.

She and Nate jogged towards the exit. They paused just outside the boundaries of the room. Charlie stuck her head out the door, looked around, and pulled it back in.

"Remember, stay behind me." Charlie said. Nate nodded. The ache in his body throbbed in protest.

**/!\ Follow Charlie**

Galloping out of the room, they made it half way to the stairwell when another doctor burst through a door. Charlie dodged right, Nate following seconds before bullets flew past where their heads had been.

"You bastards!" The man hollered. "Ritika's fucking dead because of y-!" Charlie shot the man in the abdomen. The doctor collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach and screaming in pain. Charlie shot him in the head as they made their way to the stairs.

Opening the door of the stairwell revealed another doctor. The doctor held the rifle awkwardly, hands displaying an inexperience and displeasure with wielding a weapon. She opened her mouth, lips trembling, but was shot in the throat before she could say a word. The attack threw the doctor against the wall. She slid down, choking and clawing at her neck. Charlie and Nate speed past the gurgling doctor.

Third floor.

The door to the third floor stairway opened. Charlie kicked it closed. They heard the sound of meat being impaled followed by shrieking. They ignored it and continued down the stairs.

Second floor.

Two men were waiting for them.

"Go back!" Charlie ordered Nate. They rushed out of the line of fire. The two men walked after them, footsteps slow and cautious. Charlie crouched, Nate copied her. The two doctors turned the corner and aimed their weapons straight ahead. They realized too late that their targets were lower to the ground. Charlie shot them both in the stomach. Charlie and Nate stepped on and over the fallen doctors. Snivelling from one of the doctors became less audible the farther the three of them distance themselves from him.

First floor.

After checking the safety of the first floor halls, Charlie ushered Nate through the door. He staggered, stopped, and panted harshly. His heart was beating too fast, threatening to rip in half and burst through his spine, ribcage, back, and chest. The dizziness in his mind intensified and spread through his body until his bones and muscles felt like they were turning and twisting in impossible angles. Vaughan was heavy, too heavy, and Nate decided that Vaughan was no longer on his back. Instead, a human shaped sack of cement latched itself onto him and Vaughan was lying somewhere in the halls with the dead and dying doctors. The fact that the sack groaned and breathed did not fool him.

His sorry state was evident; Nate was too tired to hide it. Pinch-faced, Charlie stood in front of him, taking his weary form in.

"_Come on_ Nate." Charlie said. Not a plea, though it might have been related to one. "We're almost there, just keep movin'."

| Let's take a break |  
**| Let's go |**  
| Leave me |  
| … |

"Yup, Let's… let's go. I can fuckin'…" Nate paused to breathe. "Totally, yeah."

"Good." Charlie said. Her voice dropped. "I'm _not_ losing both of you in the same day."

**| Of course not |**  
| We can leave Vaughan |  
| You might though |  
| … |

The possibility of Charlie losing the both of them was high. They were weak and couldn't move out of danger as quickly as she could. If he left Vaughan behind and took a moment to rest, he could recuperate just enough to follow Charlie out of the clinic without holding her back. But Nate wasn't going to do that, and Charlie would never allow it, so there was no point in bringing it up.

"You ain't gonna… lose shit cuz we're gonna be fuckin'… fucking fine." Nate said. She looked him up and down again, and then looked at Vaughan. She swallowed hard on nothing and turned her back to them.

"We're almost there," Charlie repeated. "Just keep moving." She walked forward. Nate followed her.

**(o) Talk to Vaughan**

Vaughan was too quiet. He didn't flinch at the gunfire, he didn't groan for the people Charlie killed. He wasn't reacting to anything at all.

"How're you doin' back here?" Nate asked. Vaughan said nothing. He was so heavy.

"C'mon." Nate said. "Talk to me man." He shifted Vaughan's body upward. He wasn't dead. He could still hear Vaughan's raspy breathing. Maybe the seizure damaged him more than Nate thought.

"…I think I'm going to throw up on you." Vaughan moaned.

"No, _no, _don't puke on me." Nate protested. Good, he was still conscious.

"I'm sorry." Vaughan said.

"Just try to keep it in okay?" Nate said. He felt Vaughan nod. "Don't worry. When we get out of here, you can puke as much as you like."

"はい." Vaughan groaned.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Escort Mission  
—

* * *

Quiet. No foreign languages spoken in urgent tones, no gun fire muffled through the walls, no foot falls but their own. This was a mixed blessing. Running was no longer necessary since no doctors were around. However, the expectation of danger around every corner tensed their nerves. Where did everyone go?

They had yet to find an exit. Neither Charlie nor Nate wanted to risk going into any of the room and breaking through a window out of fear that the room they chose would contain a group of armed doctors, or that the sound of glass breaking would alert the doctors to them before they could escape.

Nate was exhausted. He wanted to take a break, but they were so close to getting out of the shithouse. He kept telling himself to walk a bit more, to continue moving his legs and carry Vaughan until they were free from harm. Just a few more steps. Just a few more.

"You're still alive." A voice called out to them.

Nate and Charlie stopped walked. They slowly turned towards the direction of the voice. It came from the lobby of the clinic, a means of escape they almost walked past. A group of people stood there, the majority of which were doctors. The one standing in front of them, the one the voice belonged to, was Dr. Nāgá.

"Motherfucker." Nate hissed. Charlie snarled under her breath. If the head doctor had been alone, he would have _loved_ to see her again; to wreck her face, smash the shit out of her undead arm, and watch her turn into a monster. However, she wasn't alone. They were in serious danger.

"Nate!" Raymond called out. The bandage on his nose was gone. Blood flowed freely from his nostrils. A large bump protruded from his forehead. His clothes were torn and messy. An arm was wrapped protectively around a girl who looked like a younger version of Roxane.

"Dude! Dude, _save us!"_ Jude shouted. His swollen right eye was a purple-blue colour. A small bald spot lay on the side of his head, short strains of hair stuck to the red scalp. His clothes were also ruined.

Of the crowd of people, the ones behind Raymond, his daughter, and Jude appeared to be the kidnapped patients. They looked tired, scared, and deeply confused.

"Quiet!" Dr. Nāgá said. Raymond and Jude glowered at her. She turned her attention to Nate and Charlie. "You're both very resilient… Though the vaccine doesn't seem to be agreeing with you Nate." _Vaccine._ He wasn't infected. For a brief moment, he was overcome with pure relief. Then reality caught up with him. He would have no reason to be relieved if he weren't injected in the first place. He could still die from the allergic reaction to the vaccine. All three of them were still in danger.

And Dr. Nāgá was to blame.

**| Go away |**  
| Let us leave |  
| I'm going to murder you |  
| … |

"Fuck _off_ you shit eating _bitch!"_ Nate screamed.

"I do not particularly want to see you either." The head doctor said. "Also, this is _my_ facility. _You_ should be the one _fucking off."_

"I'm going to kill her." Charlie's voice was low and acidic. "I'm going to kill her. I'm going to kill her. I-"

"You two have murdered my colleagues and tried to ruin our chance at saving the human race." Dr. Nāgá said. "As much as I would like retribution for your actions, I am not willing to sustain any more damage to my cause. Therefore, I have decided to let you three go." Nate and Charlie glanced at each other, equally insulted. She was so full of herself, thinking they were that stupid.

"All we need to do is walk past you where you'll have a good shot at us?" Charlie didn't mask her sarcasm.

"There is a door to your left." Dr. Nāgá said. "You can leave through there." They looked. Farther down the hall was a side door leading to an alleyway. It was a trap, it had to be. Someone would be waiting outside, ready to shoot whoever came out that door.

"…I'm going to check to see if it's safe." Charlie told Nate. "If I don't come back, leave another way." She jogged off. He would've asked himself why she would leave when she knew she'd be ambushed, but he already knew the answer. It was in case it _wasn't_ an ambush. They couldn't run away with being gunned down and they couldn't fight back without being overpowered, but if they were _allowed_ to go they would leave with their lives.

Nate was too tired. He needed to rest. He lowered Vaughan off his back. Vaughan's movement was that of a person trying to walk on a rocking boat. He grabbed onto Nate's arm and held onto the back of his denim jacket. He rested his head on Nate's shoulder and exhaled deeply. As drained as Nate was, Vaughan was fairing much worse. Charlie could escape on her own if she needed to. Vaughan couldn't. Nate needed to get him out of the clinic before he could get proper rest.

He glared at Dr. Nāgá and the middle aged woman returned his stare.

**| She better come back |**  
| Is everything alright Raymond? |  
| What are you going to do to them? |  
| … |

"Charlie better be comin' back." Nate warned.

"She will." Dr. Nāgá said. Vaughan turned his head toward the crowd of people. He made a confused noise before speaking.

"What's… going on?" Vaughan asked.

"The doctors are keeping the patients hostage." Nate explained. "The people I came with are there too."

"We're going… to save them… right?" Vaughan said. Nate blinked at him. Vaughan's hope of curing his cancer was ripped away from him, he suffered through a second seizure in less than forty-eight hours, and now he was in extreme discomfort. Yet his main concern was the wellbeing of other people; not going somewhere safe or recovering or finding another doctor. Nate didn't know how Vaughan was so selfless after everything he'd been through, and he didn't know how such a good person could stand to be friends with a piece of shit like him.

The side door opened. Charlie jogged back to Nate's side.

"It looks safe." She said. "I think we can actually go."

"You can't leave us here! We-" The baseball bat struck Raymond on the side of his head.

"I told you to be quiet." Dr. Nāgá spoke with barely restrained anger.

"You're a fucking monster!" Raymond thundered. The head doctor paused. She lowered the bat to her side. When she spoke again, she spoke as a soldier reprimanding cowardly subordinates, looking back and forth between the captured, Nate, and his friends.

"I have committed terrible actions in my time since the outbreak, but I have done so for the betterment of others. What about you? Can you say that anything you have done in the last forty-one days has benefited anyone but yourselves and ones you deem worthy of your protection? Anyone you have ever stole from or lied to or killed, has it help people as a whole? _Well?"_ She waited for a response. No one spoke. There was fire in her eyes when she spoke again. "You should be _willing_ to die for the future of the human race._You_ people are the real monsters." Nate could not believe the gall Dr. Nāgá had. The lying, kidnapping, murderous bitch was trying to guilt trip them.

Vaughan moved his head away from Nate's shoulder. He tried to step away from him and almost fell. Nate caught him.

"Vaughan," Nate said. "What are you-"

"We're not monsters." Vaughan spoke directly to the head doctor. "We weren't prepared for this. If we were… we would've done things differently. But we weren't, so we're just… trying to survive the best we can. That's why we do awful things sometimes… not because we don't care. We just want to live and… protect the only people we have left. We do bad things but… it's not our fault. None of this was supposed to happen."

Nate saw the flickering light in Vaughan's eyes fade as the last sentence left his mouth, like he'd reached a horrifying epiphany. His words rang true in ways none of them wanted to acknowledge. A terrible event wrecked the earth. Opportunities that should have come to be, memories that should have been made, would never happen the way they were supposed to. They were all irreversibly cheated out of the happy lives they were going to have.

"_None of this was supposed to happen."_ Vaughan repeated, grief manifesting itself in every word. He clasped a shaking hand to his mouth, clamping his eyes shut from the rest of the world.

"We have to go." Charlie told Nate. "Vaughan needs a safe place to rest. There's no reason why we should risk our lives for these people."

"いいえ. _いいえ__."_ Vaughan's voice was a barely audible crack. Either they all die, or the three of them would get to live. Those were his choices. Nate knew what he needed to do.

"You can't do this to us!" Raymond screamed.

"Do something man!" Jude cried.

| Save hostages |  
**| Leave |**

"You listen to me, you cock-sucking whore." Nate voice was low but it travelled all the way to the head doctor. "If I _ever_ see you again, I will fucking torture you to death. And the first thing I'll do is _cut off your fucking arms."_ Dr. Nāgá nodded without comment. Nate thought he saw her shiver.

"C'mon. Let's get out of there." Nate said. His friends were his priority, not some strangers he barely knew.

**(?) You decided to leave**

Vaughan whined in protest, but he was too weak to fight back. He let himself be carried again without struggle. Charlie led the way to the side door.

"What are you doing dude!?"

"Come back!"

"Don't leave us here!"

"You fucking cowards! You're killing us!"

"Stop!"

"Nate!"

"_Nate!"_

They continued to yell and beg. Charlie let out an annoyed huff. Vaughan gasped and moaned, holding back tears. Nate was on the verge of collapsing, the possibility of being unable to make it to the truck was on the forefront of his mind, but he felt nothing for the people he was abandoning. He got the ones he came there for. That was all that mattered. They were safe. He was safe.

And the three of them were going to live.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Needs Of The Many  
—

* * *

It was stupid to feel so secure. When the world had been sane, or at least _saner_ than it was now, a person could go to a police station or the safety of their home after surviving some harrowing danger. Now, in the world of shambling corpses and broken, violent people, nowhere was truly safer than anywhere else. All three of them could easily die here- wherever 'here' was- as they could have at the clinic.

But they had been outgunned, outnumbered, and handicapped; yet managed to kick ass and make it out alive. If that wasn't a reason to celebrate then Nate didn't know what was. Whether they got drunk out of their minds or burned shit down or boned, he was going to make sure they rewarded themselves. They deserved it.

Celebration would have to wait until the morning however. After everything that happened, Charlie and Vaughan wouldn't have the energy or frame of mind to do much. Nate didn't feel like doing anything himself. He could go for another nap, despite just waking up.

Nate glanced at his friends. Charlie's head rested on his left shoulder, arms folded loosely in her lap. Her chest raised and fell in time with her barely audible breathing. Vaughan's position mirrored his girlfriend's on the other side of Nate. His breathing sounded shaky, possibly a result of suffering through a bad dream. Nate's arms were draped across both their shoulders.

It was unusual for him to be sandwiched between them when they slept. Since he rarely left the driver's side, Vaughan should've been the only one leaning against him if at all. On that note, Nate couldn't remember driving to the area they were currently in. He didn't even remember getting into the truck, but he must've been the one who drove. He _always_ was the one who drove. His slight bemusement quickly passed and he decided that he didn't care. They were safe now, and it was… nice, sitting like this. He shifted his arms, drawing his friends them closer to him.

"S'about time ya woke up." Charlie's voice was thick with sleep. She stretched, momentarily pulling away from Nate before gently leaning back into him.

| Hey |  
| Weren't you asleep too? |  
**| Where are we? |**  
| … |

"Where are we?" Nate asked. Dense fog permeated the night. Trees, grass, and bush were all he could see, and the fog obstructed even those.

"I have no idea." Charlie told him. "I was tryin' to get as far away from the clinic as possible. Didn't have a destination in mind."

"You drove?" Nate asked.

"When we got to the truck, you pushed yourself and Vaughan inside and passed out." She said. "So I had to take over."

"Was I asleep the whole time?" He asked.

"No. You woke up at one point to take a piss, and when you came back you were adamant about being in between the two of us." Charlie told him, gesturing between herself and Vaughan. "You said you wanted to make sure we were still here when you woke up again. I asked you where we were going to go, you said somethin' about sheep and passed out." She tilted her head upwards and looked at him. "Feeling better?"

**| Much better |**  
| I'm tired |  
| I can go for another injection |  
| … |

"Much better." Nate said, nodding. The dizziness and pain vanished, drowsiness came from just waking up instead of having the energy sapped out of him, and he felt like most of his strength had come back.

"Good." Charlie said.

| You were worried? |  
**| What will the vaccine do? |**  
| How are you? |  
| … |

"What do you think the vaccine's gonna do to me?" Nate asked. He wasn't sure if the poison had completely flushed out of his system. Maybe his body got used to the foreign substance. He didn't like the idea of it being in him even if that was the case.

"Ideally, make you immune to the virus." Charlie said. "But I highly doubt that. Those assholes couldn't cure shit. Might still do somethin' positive for you though. Maybe it'll make you more resistant to other infections."

"But I had a bad reaction to it." He reminded her.

"Initially. Don't mean it won't help you in the future." She paused, and Nate knew what she was going to say next. "We killed a shit ton of people at the clinic. And what you said before at the camp… how are you feeling? Are you okay? No bullshit; give me a straight answer."

He grinned. "As opposed to a gay answer?"

Charlie wasn't amused. _"Nate."_

| I don't want to talk about it |  
| The same way I always feel |  
**| I'm okay |**  
| … |

"I'm okay." Nate said. "…Before I went there, I was so prepared to kill everybody to get you two back. But I still felt guilty about not feeling anything. I _still_ don't know how that fucking works but whatever. The point is, I wanted to save you both but I also wanted to give a shit about the lives I was going to take. Then, when I was driving to the clinic, I started to think about how you two would look like dead. And I couldn't…" He tightened the grip on Charlie and Vaughan's shoulders. "I realized you were right. Fuck guilt and fuck people. The three of us are more important than anybody else." Charlie nodded and gave his leg a light pat.

"You still care that you might be crazy?" She asked.

| A bit |  
**| I accept it |**  
| It doesn't matter |  
| … |

"_Nah._ I've come to terms with it." Nate told her. There was a sense of peace that came with not caring about his mental health, like untying a straitjacket in his mind. This wouldn't comfort normal people, but he wasn't normal.

"I told you." She yawned again. The possibility that Charlie went without sleep for twenty-four hours reoccurred to Nate. He thought back to the three of them being trapped in the room. Maybe she cried not only out of the fear of losing him and Vaughan, but also due to being more sensitive from a lack of sleep. Nate knew that being put in the position to kill him would've inflected her pain, but he wondered if Charlie would've shot him if her mind got the rest it needed.

"…I can't remember ever seein' you cry before today." Nate said.

"I will _stab you_ in the _kidneys."_ Charlie threatened, glaring up at him. Nate smiled.

"Seriously, I've never seen ya cry before." Nate said. "You didn't cry when you burnt your leg when we was kids, or when ya almost broke your arm falling down the stairs in high school. Hell, you never cried when we beat the shit out of each other just before we broke up."

"You're kidneys will be _filled with holes."_ Charlie warned.

| I'm glad |  
| I'll drop it |  
**| Pussy |**  
| … |

"_Pussy."_ Nate teased. He couldn't think of a way to thank Charlie for caring for him without sounding clingy and girly. Even 'I'm glad you give a shit' sounded off to him. If she needed to hear it, he would have said it, but it wasn't necessary so he kept it to himself. Still, it was nice to know.

**(?) Charlie thinks you're a dick**

"Shut up!" Charlie growled.

"Not only do you have a pussy, you _are_ a pussy." He smiled. "Never would've guessed."

"I have more balls that _you!"_

"That doesn't sound healthy."

"Where's my knife?"

"Crouching tiger, hidden pussy." Nate chimed. Charlie smacked him in the stomach. He doubled over and laughed, bring both her and Vaughan forward.

"Huh?" Vaughan mumbled. He shifted at Nate side and rubbed his eyes. Nate felt the weight of him increase, like being conscious caused him to get heavier.

"You're finally awake." Charlie said. "Feelin' better?" Vaughan nodded. The nod was lethargic and forced. Charlie frowned.

"…I'm, um, going to step out for a bit." Vaughan said quietly. "I'll be back." Vaughan gently pulled himself out of Nate's hold and left the truck. Vaughan's form; head bent and shoulders lowered; dissolved into the mist.

"You should go after your _boyfriend_." Charlie told him. "We don't know how well he is. He might get lost."

| He'll be fine |  
| Why can't you go? |  
**| Alright |**  
| … |

"Alright." Nate said. He shifted himself over to the passenger's door, his hand sliding across Charlie's back before letting her go. He exited the truck and quietly closed the door behind him.

Trees materialized and dematerialized as he walked through the fog. Nate kept his guard up. The fog was dense enough to conceal psychos, but the undead were hardly ever quiet. Nate listened closely for any noises that shouldn't have be there. He didn't survive the clinic just to be ambushed by monsters.

He didn't have to walk long before he found Vaughan. The younger man stood beside a tree, staring straight ahead. Nate followed his gaze and saw nothing. Getting closer, Nate noticed the expression on Vaughan's face. It was distressed but fought to look determined; like he was being drafted to a war he wanted no part of.

Hearing footsteps, Vaughan turned to face Nate. He squinted, trying to make out the form in front of him. When he did, his eyes widened. Fear flashed through them for moment before he closed his eyes in sorrowful resignation. Nate didn't understand or like that.

"Hi." Vaughan sounded tired in all the ways a person could sound tired. Nate frowned.

| What are you doing? |  
| You feeling okay? |  
**| Hi |**  
| … |

"Hi." Nate said. The corner of Vaughan's mouth twitched upwards, but it could hardly be considered a smile.

"It's really foggy out." Vaughan told him. Nate nodded. Vaughan looked around, purposefully avoiding Nate's eyes. "How old am I?"

"…You're three years younger than me." Nate said slowly. "Why? Didja forget?"

"No." Vaughan sighed. "It's just… I feel _old." _His head lowered and his shoulders sagged, as if an invisible force were trying to suck him into the ground.

"C'mon. Let's get back to the truck." Nate said. Vaughan had every right to be upset considering all the bullshit that happened, but moping outside wasn't going to make things suck less. If he had to brood, it was better to do it somewhere safe. Nate gestured at Vaughan to move forward. Vaughan stared at him before looking back at the ground.

"…I should leave." Vaughan murmured.

"We're gonna leave in the morning." Nate told him. "Let's go."

"That's not what…" Vaughan trailed off. He closed his eyes, inhaled, and held his breath. "I m-mean… I should leave you and Charlie. F-for good." He exhaled. Nate stared at him. Vaughan reluctantly stared back. He wasn't joking. Nate knew Vaughan wouldn't joke about things like this, but that was the first thought that came into his head. Vaughan wasn't joking. He _actually_ wanted to leave them.

"The fuck?" Nate finally managed to say. "_Why?"_ After everything they did to save him, why would he _want_ to go? If anything, they gave him more reasons to stay. Vaughan averted his eyes and looked down at his feet. He tried to speak, mouth opening and closing repeatedly, but no words came. After a minute of silence, with Nate getting frustrated and preparing to drag the idiot back to the truck, Vaughan began talking.

"…N-no matter how I die it'll be those monsters that kill me, because if they'd never shown up I'd be in a hospital right now. I'd be getting help. I have to get help and I can't. I… I'm fighting to stay alive, I really am, but there's no hope for me. I'm going… I'm g-going to…" Vaughan choked. He moved his hands from his sides and cupped his mouth. "I'm going to _die_ Nate."

"Stop it." Nate's voice came out as a pathetic half growl. Vaughan gave him a look that told him he wanted to stop more than anything else, but what he was saying needed to be said aloud.

"B-but before I do," Vaughan said. "I'm going to get sicker and become a greater detriment to the both of you. _I already am a detriment to the both of you. _That's why I have to leave. Every time we've had a problem it's been _my_ fault. I-I don't mean to keep putting you two in danger, but I always do. And… Nate, you've done some very bad things ever since the apocalypse began, but no matter how much I want to be angry at you, I can only blame myself and m-my illness for your actions."

Nate gawked at him.

**| What about Charlie? |**  
| The seizure's messing with your brain |  
| What are you talking about? |  
| … |

"_My_ actions?" Nate asked. "What about Charlie?"

"…C-Charlie was always like this. You of all people should know that." Vaughan told him. "My mother was just like her, that's way it was easy for me to ignore it when everything was normal, but it's impossible to ignore it now. I don't need to blame myself for what's she's done… but m-maybe I should? I could have stopped her but I never did." He sighed deeply. "Everything's my fault."

"_How?"_ Nate wanted to ask a thousand questions, but it was better to let Vaughan talk. It would be easier to debunk him that way. Vaughan hesitated before speaking.

"The first day of the outbreak…" Vaughan began. "If I hadn't let myself get attacked by that creature, Anya wouldn't have thought I was bitten and you two wouldn't have killed innocent people to save me." The memory of Vaughan expressing his guilt after having his hallucination came back to Nate.

| You should have been stronger |  
**| It was our choice |**  
| Anya was crazy |  
| … |

"It was our choice to attack'm." Nate replied. Vaughan's own neighbours were going to kill him. Like hell he and Charlie would let that happen.

"But I'm the reason why you made that choice." Vaughan argued. If he and Charlie hadn't been there, would Vaughan have let himself be killed? Nate didn't know.

"If I wasn't sick, we would have never gone to the hospital and the baby would still be alive." The guilt in Vaughan's eyes increased as he said this. Nate winced.

| The psychos killed the baby |  
| I told you it would be dangerous |  
**| It's my fault |**  
| … |

"I… I'm the one who got too tired to hold the baby." Nate murmured. "I'm the one who put her down and forgot to pick her up again." It still hurt to talk about her. It also reminded him of Sissy. She was waiting for him, her mom, and all the other people to come back to the camp. He felt bad about letting Sissy think he died, and for her sake he also felt guilty for being unable to save her mother. But there's was no point going back to the camp if they weren't planning on letting Sissy and Roxane join their group, especially when they abandoned the others.

"But that wouldn't have happened if we weren't in the hospital to begin with." Vaughan insisted, tone growing in earnest when he heard the guilt in his friend's voice. When Nate was sleeping in the back of the truck, lost in his own grief and nightmares that made him jolt in his sleep, had Vaughan been having his own bad dreams of hospitals and dead children?

Vaughan never hinted at any emotional distress caused by the baby's death after the night she died. It made sense as to why. Charlie had been mad about Vaughan lying to her and Nate had been swallowed up by his own demons. He had kept quiet about it, even comforting Nate despite needing comfort too.

"If I hadn't pointed out that man with the alcohol, we wouldn't have gotten in trouble with the bandits," Vaughan's voice was weaker now. "Charlie wouldn't have cheated on me, and you wouldn't have set a man on fire."

**| I wanted to do it |**  
| Everything worked out |  
| You don't read people well |  
| … |

"I wanted to set that man on fire, he was a _threat."_ Nate said. "And you don't know that Charlie wouldn't have chosen another time to get back at you." Despite both wronging Vaughan that day, what Charlie did wasn't nearly as bad as what he'd done. Cheating was much easier to deal with than the smell of burning flesh, the look of skin as it melted off the bone, and the sound of someone hysterically screaming for mercy.

"If I wasn't sick, we would have never gone to the doctor camp and I wouldn't have been kidnapped." Vaughan whimpered. "You and Charlie wouldn't have been so close to dying today."

**| You didn't make us save you |**  
| You should've run away |  
| The doctors were bastards |  
| … |

"You didn't make us save you. It was our choice to go." Nate said.

"…When the people at the party needed your help, you stepped up when you realized the police weren't coming. But you didn't save those people when we were leaving the clinic, and it's because of everything I made you and Charlie go through." Vaughan wasn't listening to him. He truly believed that he was to blame for everything that had gone wrong. Nate's rebuttals only sounded like excuses on his behalf.

| How'll you survive on your own? |  
**| Do you want to go? |**  
| Charlie's going to kick your ass |  
| … |

"Do ya wanna go?" Nate asked.

Vaughan sighed. "I already-"

"No. You said you _should_ go, but do you _want_ to go?" Nate stressed. Vaughan's lips trembled. His eyes glossed over. It took Nate a moment to realize that Vaughan was shaking is head.

"…N-no." Vaughan's voice broke. "I don't _want_ to leave. Despite everything you two have d-done, I love you both." He clapped his hand over his mouth and snapped his eyes shut. Nate felt an invisible force stab him in the chest. He knew he should say something. He knew he should echo the words Vaughan said. But echo wasn't the right term. It implied the words spoken back would be fake and hollow. What he felt wasn't. If he said it then maybe it would change Vaughan's mind.

But Nate couldn't do it. The invisible force twisted inside of him and lodged in his throat. The mentality instilled in him by his father materialized and sealed his mouth shut. Society, which didn't even exist anymore, came alive in the air around him for the sole purpose of wrapping its hands around his neck. All of that together stopped him from saying three words. Three tiny, stupid, insanely powerful words. Vaughan was on the verge of tears and Nate said nothing.

"But t-that's all the more reason why I should leave. I don't know what I'd do if y-you or Charlie died because of me." Vaughan's voice trembled. Nate didn't reply. They stood in the melancholic silence, staring at everything but each other. The younger man spread his fingers through his hair. He fought to keep control, to not become a weeping mess.

"Remember…" Vaughan slowly spoke up. "R-remember when I said that I didn't think I'd ever be able to repay you? I was wrong. Leaving is the best way I can pay you back."

Nate forced himself to speak. "Vaughan-"

"It won't be hard. You can drop me off at a mall o-or a gas station and just… drive away."

"No."

"This is a good thing in the disguise. I-I'm weaker than you and Charlie. I never was going to last very long in all of this."

"You're so fucking stu-"

"_Nate!"_ Vaughan almost screamed his name. Nate stopped taking. The younger man pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed shakily before letting his hand drop. When Vaughan spoke again, his voice was soft. "It's okay. You can leave me. _It's okay._ I promise. Don't let me be a burden anymore."

| [Agree to let him go] |  
**| [Refuse to let him go] |**  
| You have to ask Charlie |  
| … |

Nate shook his head. It was a simple, slow turn of the head. Vaughan looked at him like he'd punched him in the face.

**(?) You decided to keep Vaughan around**

"W-why…" Vaughan stammered. _"Why?"_

**| I'm not abandoning you |**  
| You're not thinking straight |  
| Charlie would kill me |  
| … |

"If you were a stranger and told me all that, I'd be happy to leave your ass." Nate told him. "But you're not just _some guy._ I ain't gonna abandon you."

"I… I have _cancer…"_ Vaughan said this as if, throughout the entire conversation, Nate had forgotten that cancer was a serious illness. He wasn't asking to leave because he had the flu or scraped a knee. He had a tumour and it was going to make everyone's life worse before it killed him. He was a dog in need of being put down, but he wasn't _asking_ to be put down. He was asking to be taken out of Nate and Charlie's hands. Release the dog into the wild. Let the pet die beyond the view of loving eyes. That's what he wanted. That's what he _had_ to want. _Why don't you want this too?_ Vaughan asked with his eyes.

"_I don't give a shit!"_ Nate shouted. Vaughan flinched. "I'm not dropping you off at a mall or a gas station or any of that bullshit! You're staying with me! _Fuck your cancer!" _He didn't care about doing the right thing, but he knew that his selfishness coincided with the noble thing to do. But Vaughan acted as though Nate were committing a crime.

"Oh." Vaughan said, voice small. "Okay." His body seemed to sag in slow motion. Neon signs couldn't have made it clearer that he had given up convincing Nate to let him go.

Vaughan took a step back and bowed. He upper body bent at a forty-degree angle. His arms were straight at his sides, head parallel to the ground.

"I'm sorry you had to put with me for so long." Vaughan said. "You don't have to, but if you can, please forgive me." The younger man kept still, though his arms trembled.

**| Comfort |**

Nate grabbed a handful of Vaughan's clothes. He yanked upwards, pulling the younger man out of his bow. Vaughan yelped in surprise, instinctively grabbing onto Nate's arms as he was forced to stand straight. Nate glowered at him. Vaughan began moving his hands to his face to protect himself from any blows, faltered halfway, and let his arms drop. His eyes, once wide with alarm from Nate's sudden actions, slowly shrunk to normal size. Vaughan stared back at him, still afraid but resigned to whatever abuse was in store. Nate's scowl deepened.

He let go of Vaughan for a brief moment before wrapping his arms around him and pulling him closer.

**(?) You tried to comfort Vaughan**

"Y-you can't…" Vaughan croaked. "You have to s-stop. I'm not… I don't d-deserve…" He trembled softly. His breathing deepened, broken up by occasional pained groans. The trembling turned into violent shaking and his breathing turned into hoarse gasping. Vaughan buried his face into his shoulder and wept.

"I don't want to die! _I don't want to die!"_ Vaughan sobbed. He wrapped his arms around Nate, his hands digging into his back. "I don't want to be alone! _I…"_ He began speaking Japanese, the mournful desperation stronger in his native tongue. Nate felt grief vibrate through him with every word Vaughan spoke.

| Stop crying |  
| I'm so sorry |  
**| I'll find a doctor |**  
| … |

"I'll find you another doctor. Okay?" Nate said. "I'll… _Fuck."_ He was going to do everything in his power to keep his word, but Vaughan was deteriorating. He needed more than just a doctor. How was he going to do that? Finding the camp of doctors had been a fluke, but the camp had been a cruel joke disguised as a miracle. Could he find another place, a legitimate one, before it was too late?

Vaughan continued to shake and cry and hold onto him like he was the only living person left. Nate lowered his head and held him tighter. He meant to protect the both of them. Not one or the other. _Both._ He had to find a way to save Vaughan. He _had_ to.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Burden Of The Sick  
—

Nate gently pulled away when he felt Vaughan's body relax. He wiped the back of his hand across his stinging eyes. They were dry.

Noise coming from the truck got his attention. It was two voices. None of them sounded like Charlie.

**| Let's go to the truck |**  
| Do you hear that? |  
| Are you okay now? |  
| … |

"Let's go back to the truck." Nate said. Not hearing Charlie's voice concerned him. She wouldn't let strangers around the truck without speaking with them first. Was she being silent for a reason? Was she still there? Nate turned around and was about to walk back when Vaughan let out a a high, unstable laugh. Nate looked over his shoulder at him, eyes wide.

"You're so fucking dumb." Vaughan chuckled. "I'm going to ruin your life. This'll be _fun."_ His expression- dagger eyed, dancing around insanity- clashed with the tears still running down his face. Vaughan was going through another mood swing or whatever the hell it was. Maybe it was better for Vaughan to stay put for the time being. If the strangers ended up being dangerous then Vaughan might decide to help them attack him and Charlie for fun, his mind altered the way it was. Going alone wasn't ideal though, especially if Charlie wasn't there anymore.

| Wait here |  
| Come with me |  
| Snap out of it |  
**| … |**

Nate looked away. He had been outnumbered before and made it out just fine. Two against one? Shit luck for them. Nate walked towards the truck. He didn't hear Vaughan follow.

* * *

"Sweet lights."

"Yeah. I wonder how much it cost."

"Maybe it came with the truck?"

"Nah dude, they definitely bought this separately."

"Think they'll be willing to trade?"

"For what? We don't got shit that's good enough to trade for it."

As he drew nearer, Nate watched the strangers' backs and arms move with the rhythm of their words. One was a fat man, the other much thinner. One had long hair, the other wore a beanie. One wore a light red shirt, the other wore dark blue. Both were around Nate's height, both stared at his truck, both weren't with Charlie.

"Hey, you remember that one time TJ got high during Christmas and wanted to buy some guy's Christmas lights."

"No, not reall- oh wait, yeah! I do!"

"He wanted those lights so badly. I still can't believe he stripped that dude's _entire_ house. I mean who the fuck does that?"

"Didn't he get hypothermia?"

"Yeah."

A pause. Laughter.

He could see inside the back of the truck now. Scanning the inside from where he was revealed no trace of her. Unless she was hiding on the floor of the truck- which she wouldn't have done, especially after everything that happened to them- Charlie was gone. Had these two taken her?

"_Man,_ I cannot wait to go to sleep."

A yawn.

"Me too. God, today was such a long day."

The smell of weed floated off of them, though not as powerful as it had been with Jude. Was Jude still alive? Probably not. Where any of the other kidnapped people still alive? Probably not. Was he going to let these strangers kill him after sacrificing people and surviving the clinic? Hell no.

Nate stood behind the two oblivious men.

| What are you doing? |  
| Get away from my truck |  
**| This is the police |**  
| … |

"This is the police!" Nate's voice was loud and authoritative. Both men barked, the thinner one nearly jumping in the air and the fatter one almost squatting in surprise. They spun in Nate's direction.

"Really? You _really_ fell for that crap?" Nate chuckled. His eyes did not laugh with him. They instead bore into the man in the beanie and the one with the long hair, demanding them both to explain why they were near his truck and why Charlie was missing.

"H-hey man." The beanie wearer said, breathless with the recent scare. "We're not trying to steal from you or anything." He raised his arms briefly, the palms of his hands facing Nate.

"Yeah dude." The fat one said, also out of breath. "We were just packing up when we saw your truck. It looked familiar so…" Something behind Nate made the man's words trail off. The beanie wearer also looked past him. Soft thumping of feet momentarily distracted Nate from his 'guests'. The strangers made no attempt to defend themselves or run, so whatever was behind Nate was human. One of his friends. Nate turned around.

Vaughan broke through the fog in a calm stride. The tears were wiped clean from his face. The sadistic air around him was not. Charlie wasn't with him. Glad for the support but disturbed by her absence, the muscles in Nate's face tried to make him smile and frown at once. Nate turned back to the strangers when Vaughan met his side.

"Who are they?" Vaughan asked.

**| Potheads |**  
| Beavis and Butthead |  
| I don't know |  
| … |

"They're potheads." Nate said.

"Really? You'd think the apocalypse would've killed them all off already." This was said with an air of mock frustration, as if he were pretending to be annoyed about a botched job done by somebody else but was too excited to rectify the problem himself to be truly angry. The strangers, noticing the wrongness of his tone and aura, shifted in place and glanced nervously at each other.

The longhaired fat one tried to speak. "Listen we-"

"Hey Nate?" Vaughan cut him off. "Did the fat guy just say your truck looked familiar? Are they from the clinic?"

"There's a clinic nearby?" The fat one asked.

"We've never been to a clinic man." The beanie wearer said.

"Sure you haven't." Vaughan said.

"We _haven't!"_ The body of the beanie wearer began to tense.

**| You're blind |**  
| Maybe you're right |  
| Are you sure? |  
| … |

Nate shook his head.

"I need to give ya your glasses back." He said. There was no way they were from the clinic. Those two looked like they couldn't put a Band-Aid on straight if their lives depended on it.

"What? They don't look the part? Dr. Heart Attack and Nurse Overdose?" Vaughan asked. Nate chuckled at the strangers expense. Turning his attention back to the them, he noticed that their eyes kept dropping to his and Vaughan's waists. They were trying to see if they were armed. Nate's gun was in the truck. Vaughan's bow and arrows were probably with the doctors. They were completely defenceless.

"Do we fucking _look_ like doctors to you?" The fat one asked incredulously.

"Liars are very dangerous people, especially during the apocalypse." Vaughan ignored his question. He also seemed to be ignoring or unaware of the danger they were in by being unarmed. "How should we deal with liars Nate?"

| By making sure they're lying |  
**| By hurting them |**  
| By making them tell the truth |  
| … |

"Broken kneecaps usually make people tell the truth." Nate responded nonchalantly. Aggravating these people into attacking them wasn't smart. He knew this. But Nate had it with strangers who popped into his life just to ruin it. He had it with people who claimed to peaceful just to stab them in the back. They could save themselves the trouble of surprise attacks and kill the two potheads. Kill them and take all their stuff.

"So does setting them on fire." Vaughan said. The expression on his face showed that he was already picturing the two strangers ablaze and enjoying what he imagined.

"Listen man! We're _not_ dangerous and we're _not_ lying!" The beanie wearer's voice was high-pitched with fear. The muscles under his skin kept jumping.

"Keep your fucking voice down!" The fat man chastised the beanie wearer.

"Why? Afraid of attracting psychos?" Vaughan laughed. "Don't be like that, _they can all join the party!"_

"Look dudes I'm sorry that we snuck up on your shit, but like, _come on_ man. We're not doing anything. Let us go." The beanie wearer said.

| Why should we? |  
| Where you going to go? |  
**| Relax |**  
| … |

"Relax, there's no need to be jumpy." Nate said. He suddenly remembered the joint Jude had given him after finding out Vaughan had cancer. He chuckled to himself and dug into his pants pocket. The beanie wearer and the fat man took startled steps away from him.

"Here you go." Nate said. He took the joint out and flicked it at the beanie wearer. He might as well have thrown a spider at him. The man shrieked and nearly fell flat on his ass.

What happened after that occurred so fast, it was only much later that Nate was able to dissect the chain of events with clarity. After flicking the joint at the beanie wearer, Nate expected Vaughan in his altered state of mind to laugh. When he didn't, Nate looked at him. Vaughan's face was tense with mute horror and self-loathing, his body slowly stiffening from the shock of his actions. Nate looked back at the beanie wearer. His hand moved to the back of his pants. Nate was about to ask him what he thought he was doing when Charlie emerged from the fog.

Despite coming from the beanie wearer's right, she didn't seem to see him or the fat man. She looked directly at Nate and Vaughan, her eyes asking the both of them where the hell they'd been. Her mouth opened to do the same, but snapped shut when she finally caught sight of the strangers. And that's when it happened.

"Who the-" A loud bang swallowed anything else she had to say. Light, accompanied by the noise, illuminated her face and the area around her. A gush of red fluid and meaty flesh hosed out of the back of her head. This red fluid also splashed the man in front of her, though not nearly as much came from her forehead as it did from the back. Her body collapsed gracelessly to the ground.

A gun pointed in the direction Charlie had been standing. Holding the gun was a hand. This hand was attached to an arm, and this arm belonged to the beanie wearing man. The murderer.

Nate didn't attack him. The thought didn't even cross his mind. His eyes were stuck on Charlie's body. She wasn't getting up. It was impossible for her to get up.

"I… I didn't mean to…" The murderer's voice shook in time with his gun. "I-I didn't mean to shoot him." No one looked at the murderer. They all stared at the woman on the ground.

Vaughan doubled over. He clasped a hand over his mouth. Choking, gagging noises escaped through his nose. Vaughan shot his hand to his chest and threw up. Nate stumbled out of the way of the vomitus overflow. Its contents weren't nearly as thick or as lumpy as what had escaped Charlie. Vaughan fell to his knees and pressed the side of his arm against his mouth, moaning and dry-heaving.

Expulsion of the little food that had been in Vaughan's stomach caused the longhaired fat man and the murderer to break out of their stunned state. The murderer shoved the gun into the back of his pants and darted away from his victim, his friend, the dry heaving man, and the man with the scary eyes. The fat one rushed after him. Fog ate their forms from view.

Nate snapped out of his own shock. He needed to chase after them. He needed to kill the bastard- kill _both_ of them for Charlie. He turned to Vaughan. The younger man rocked himself, still dry heaving into his arm. Through the breaks between trying to drain his already empty stomach, Vaughan whimpered feverishly in Japanese.

**| Get up |**  
| Stay here |  
| I'll be back Charlie |  
| … |

"Get up! We're goin' after them!" Nate ordered. Vaughan didn't move. He didn't make any sign that he heard him. He stared at Charlie's feet, rocking and moaning and struggling to throw up again.

**(?) You tried to bring Vaughan with you**

"_Vaughan!"_ Nate growled. He grabbed the arm covering Vaughan's mouth and roughly togged forward. Vaughan let himself be pulled but otherwise didn't move off the ground.

"Charlie…" Sick grief floated in Vaughan's voice. "Charlie…. _Charlie…"_ Echoes of a car engine came from a distance. The bastards were going to get away. With a frustrated hiss he let go of Vaughan and dashed to the driver's side of the truck. He slammed the door shut and jammed the keys into the ignition. The truck roared to life and speed in the direction the strangers had run off to, fuelled by gasoline and murderous rage.

* * *

Forward. Nate kept driving forward; passing an abandoned prison bus, a gas station, over broken pieces of a yield sign. He was blind to everything that didn't lie beyond the windshield of the truck. Nate ground his teeth together. His back hovered off the chair. He choked the life out of his steering wheel.

It never occurred to him that he had no idea how the getaway car of the murderer and his fat shit friend looked like. His entire focus was held on the thought of finding them and doing everything in his power to kill them, even if it meant slamming his truck into their car.

A yellow Volkswagen came into view, speeding a few feet ahead of him. Nate couldn't see the occupants of the car. People unrelated to the potheads could've been inside. He could be chasing after innocent strangers who happened to be racing down the road this late at night. Again, none of that occurred to Nate. The moment he saw the yellow car, he moment he marked them as ones responsible for Charlie's death.

He wound down the window, stuck his arm out, and shot at the car.

**(o)**

Glass from the back of the Volkswagen shattered. The car swerved wildly for a few seconds before straightening out. Light flashed from the car as his targets returned fire.

**/!\ Use the arrow keys to move the truck out of the line of fire while shooting **

Left and right, Nate swerved the truck on the road as he shot at the bastards.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)**

Another flash of light came from the car. Seconds later, something exploded inside the truck. The loud bang vibrated the air inside and knocked Nate out of his homicidal concentration.

"Shit!" He cried. He made a hard right off the main road. Trees, bushes, and grass flew past the truck. Nate slammed on his breaks. The truck stopped inches away from a large rock.

"_Shit._" Nate hissed. Not now. Not when he just found the fuckers. Stomach dropping to his knees, Nate flung the door open and ran to the front of the truck.

The right headlight was broken. Faded light radiated out, faithfully determined to continue its job. That was the extent of the damage.

"Are you _fucking kidding me!?"_ Nate roared. "I stopped for _this _bullshit!?" He kicked the grill of the truck. He stopped chasing the murderer for one headlight. If he hadn't stopped they would've been dead by now. But no, he gave those assholes more than enough time to escape.

Nate stopped himself from assaulting the truck farther. He didn't have time to throw a tantrum. Charlie was dead. _Dead._ She needed to be avenged. He absolutely would not give up tracking the fuckers down. Nate got back into his truck and reversed onto the main road.

The sound was faint and distant. If Nate had remembered to roll up the window he wouldn't have heard it. The noise of something heavy hitting metal and tires screeching to a stop floated into the truck along with the wind. Nate slowed to a stop.

It was _them._ The bastards got into an accident. A bad one, from what little Nate could hear. It came from the side street his truck was currently idle beside.

"Got you now you son of a _bitch!"_ Nate jeered. He turned into the side road and speed off.

The fog parted and the yellow car came into view.

_I'm going to kill him._

The murderer was inside. His head turned to Nate's direction before whipping to the opposite side.

_I'm going to kill him._

"Wyatt! Wyatt! Shit!" Nate could hear the murderer's frantic screams through the truck.

_I'm going to kill him._

Nate shut the door behind him and sped-walked to the Volkswagen.

_I'm going to __**kill him.**_

The yellow car's engine started up.

**(o)**

Nate used the butt of his gun and the length of his arm to smash the window. Glass fragments flew into the car. The murderer shrieked. He grabbed onto the murder's arm and tried to force him through the window.

**««Q»»**

A dangerous tug-of-war was played between the two men. Nate pulled forward with rage-fuelled strength and the murderer pulled back with fear-induced power.

"Get… the fuck… off!" The murderer growled. He jerked Nate's arm to the side of the door. A large shard of glass, still attached to the window frame of the car door, sliced through Nate's hand. Despite skin, muscle, and bone, the glass entered with no resistance.

The foreign object was impossibly cold for the briefest of moments before it burned pain through his entire hand. Nate screamed. He yanked his arm away from the broken window, staggered back, and cradled his injury. Tires screeched as the Volkswagen made its escape. Nate turned his attention away from the pain- sweltering, horrible pain- and aimed at the retreating car.

**(o)(o)(o)**

None of the bullets hit the son of a bitch.

"Come on, man, we was just gettin' started!" Nate called after the murderer. The car disappeared into the fog.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
Vengeance Averted  
—

* * *

Pain like a scorching ball of barbed wire afflicted the center of his hand. Somehow, he could still move his fingers, but he didn't want to unnecessarily twitch them if he could help it. Even a fraction of movement in any direction caused needles to shoot up his arm, and flares of nausea attacked his stomach when the shard of glass twitched in his palm.

Nate hadn't noticed it before, the sudden agony mixed with his determination to kill the murderer made the glass invisible to his eyes. But once he could no longer hear the car; left alone with nothing but decreasing adrenaline, mist, blood, and a throbbing ache; did he finally discovered that something was running through his hand that had no natural reason to be there.

Keeping his impaled hand as still possible, Nate reached for the bottle of whiskey, opened it, and placed it on the dashboard. He then raised the arm a few inches above his leg. The shard thickened on the underside of his hand, thinning out above the palm. Meaning that if he were going to pull it out, it'd have to be done in the reverse order that he'd been impaled.

"Fuck me…" Nate hissed.

**(o) Drink Whiskey**

Nate swiped the bottle off the dashboard and took three large mouthfuls of its contents. The burn irritated his lungs. More pain shot through his entire arm as he coughed involuntarily.

"G-god _damn it."_ He gasped, placing the bottle back.

**(o) Look at hand**

The glass wasn't going to remove itself. Nate took a dozen deep breaths before placing his good hand inches below the shard.

**[ ↓ ]**

Jagged edges torn through damaged muscles. Nate's screams bounced off the windows of the truck. He let go and grasped at his knee. The pain did not distract him from how absolutely enraged he was. The motherfuckers got away. He almost had the murderer, almost shot _him_ in his goddamn head. But no. He escaped. They both escaped.

"C'mon. C'mon you_ asshole."_ Nate chastised himself. "It's almost out, just get it fucking over with."

**(o)**

Nate brought his hand back to the half removed shard.

**[ ↓ ]**

With a vicious tug, Nate yanked that glass out. It slipped from his fingers while his arm moved through the air, falling to the floor. Nate panted, hunched over himself. The pain did not alleviate. Through the bill of his hat, he glared weakly at the bottle of whiskey.

**(o) Pour whiskey on hand**

Even before the liquid touched his hand, he knew it would feel like acid once it touched his skin. As he never touched acid before, the knowledge did little to prepare him again. Nate felt the inside of his throat strain with the scream that passed through it.

By the time he placed the whiskey back down, nearly all his energy was gone. His injured hand twitched with the aftershocks of the self-surgery. He tasted bile in the back of his throat.

Nate murmured breathlessly to himself. "I'm gonna fucking kill them." And when he did, he would do more than shoot them in the head. They'd leave the world _screaming._

Willing himself to move, Nate stepped out of his truck. The headlights were on. If anybody else came to the area, he wanted to see them coming in advance. The first thing he saw was Charlie's body on the ground.

The initial shock of her death and the fierce determination to kill the fucker who shot her made the void in his mind dormant. Now it awoke at the sight of her lying there, trying to suck up the whirlwind of emotions in his brain. Nate wouldn't let it. This entire night had spiraled out of his hands. He needed to be in control of _something._

**(o) Look at Charlie**

If he ignored the blood, Charlie looked normal from the neck down. She didn't look like she were sleeping, Charlie never found it comfortable to sleep on her back so she usually slept on her side, but it looked like she were simply stargazing and couldn't be bothered to move. One arm rested on top of her stomach, the other sprawled at her side. Her legs were apart by a few inches, toes pointing up to the sky. Her skin looked the same as it always did, if blood spattered.

Charlie's head broke the illusion.

A small hole was positioned over her left brow. Such a small, insignificant bullshit of a hole, yet so much had come out of the back of her head. He couldn't see how large the exit wound was. He didn't want to know how much of her head was gone. It had been enough to kill her. That was all the information he needed.

A slit of space parted her lips from the sentence she never completed. That pothead had taken not only her life, but the ability to finish her train of thought. Not "who the fuck are you" or "who the hell are these people", just two words and then death.

Her eyes were open. A testament to how taken off guard she had been when that bastard shot her in the head. They were still beautiful, like wisps of smoke from a blown out candle, but even their beauty was tainted by death. Blood dragged itself into her left eye, almost obscuring the iris. Her right eye was untouched by blood. Both were faded and stared vacantly into space.

**(o) Talk to Charlie**

Nate walked toward her until he was standing in the pool of blood. He squatted down. He placed his uninjured hand on her stomach, partially for balance, partially to feel her again. His fingers laced with hers. She was ice.

"Charles…" Nate's voice was gravelly, cracked and brittle. "Ch-Charlie I- _fuck."_

| They thought you were a guy |  
**| I didn't kill them |**  
| You weren't in the truck |  
| … |

"I didn't kill'em." Nate said. "I tried but… I'm going to find them again. _I'm going to find them." _Killing them wouldn't make things better, but not killing them made everything worse.

| Why am I talking to you? |  
| I'll bury you |  
**| You were a bitch |**  
| … |

"You were a bitch. You were such a fucking bitch… but I'll miss you so goddamn much." His voice hitched. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking _sorry_ Charlie."

**(o) Close eyes**

Nate slipped his hand away from hers. He placed his thumb over each eyelid and slowly closed them.

She was supposed to be berating him about getting his hand stabbed through like a shish kabob. 'We ain't got any antibiotics!' She was supposed to say, 'You're gonna_ die_ you dumb piece of shit!' She was supposed to be in the truck, she was supposed to scare those two motherfuckers away from the area before Nate and Vaughan came back. _She was supposed to be alive._ Vaughan would…

"Vaughan?" Nate called. Where was he? Nate stood up, legs shaking slightly. He needed to find him, and fast. He was just noticing psycho noises coming from somewhere close by. He couldn't tell how many, but he knew there were at least three and they were centralized in one area. Why were those monsters even there? He hadn't done anything to drawn them to him. He had been quiet.

But it hadn't always been quiet in the area.

When the gun fired it was loud and echoed. Vaughan had snapped out of his mood swing before the gun went off. Psychos are attracted to loud noises. Nate tried to make Vaughan come with him but he wouldn't listen, he wouldn't even look at him. So Nate drove off alone. The truck's engine made a loud noise as he left. Psychos are attracted to loud noises. Nate had looked through the rear-view mirror at Vaughan. The younger man still wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. Even as the truck got farther from him, Nate could see Vaughan suddenly double over and scream.

Psychos are attracted to loud noises. It was a corrupt version of children being drawn by the sounds of an ice-cream truck. They weren't roaming around because something had drawn their attention. Food, which would be theirs if they could catch it. Nate could tell that they did, because he could hear them eating.

And he couldn't see Vaughan.

"No." Nate's voice quaked. "No no no _no!"_ He sprinted in the direction of the crunching, chewing, moaning noises. Panic outweighed pain; he pulled out his gun with his injured hand. Within seconds the three psychos came into view. They were hunched over their prey, hand griped tight around flesh and organs. Nate skidded to a stop. The monsters turned towards him, mouths full. Nate aimed the gun and fired.

**(o)(o)(o)(o)**

His aim was faulty. Adrenaline sent tremors through his hands. Nate clipped one in the shoulder before shooting it in the head. The other two trudged towards him, marking him as their next meal. Nate fired again.

**(o)(o)(o)**

The bullet passed through the center of the psycho's face, nose exploding into a spray of dark blood and decayed skin. Before Nate could shoot the last one, it grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. The force of the pull made him trip. His legs tangled into the psychos and they both fell onto the ground. The stench of rot and blood assaulted him as his face connected with its chest. Nate gagged at the intensity of its stench. He tried to push himself off but the monster held a death grip on his arms. It pulled them down, trying to bring his neck closer to its snapping jaws.

**««Q»»**

Nate used his upper body strength to force himself upward. He slowly brought his knee up to its chest. The psycho snarled at him.

**[E]**

He wretched his arm from the monster's grasp, flicked his wrist to the side and shot it in the head. Dark blood splattered over his face and clothes. Nate jumped off the creature.

**(o)**

A snarl, more inhuman than the thing he just killed, left his mouth as he kicked the psycho hard in the stomach. Pieces of shit, every last one of them. Why did they exist? Who the fuck was to blame for all of this? A low wheeze from behind him stopped any intention he had to kick the psycho again.

The air smelt of roses. Nate slowly placed his foot back on the ground. He didn't want to look. He wanted to be wrong. Those creatures were eating a deer or a bear or anything other than what he knew it would be. The muscles in his chest tightened with every inch he turned to face the thing behind him.

Vaughan's skin was pale. Pieces of flesh and organs littered the ground around him. His stomach was ripped open, intestines hanging out on either side. The last set of ribs of his ribcage was visible and stripped bare. Chucks of his arms and legs were gone; bones visible in many of these areas. Blood leaked out of his mouth and merged with the body of blood seeping out of him and pooling on the ground.

"Fuck! _Vaughan!"_ Nate cried. He ran to him and knelt down. Vaughan's breathing was erratic and shaky. He wheezed with every inhale. He spoke in strained and broken Japanese. He shivered hard but hissed as if he were burning. His watering eyes stared beyond the trees, mist, and sky. They were unfocused and lost again, but this time it was worse because there was a distant awareness to being lost. Adrift in a world of unbearable pain.

Nate reached out with both hands before pulling away. Vaughan was infected now. He couldn't touch him without thinking because he was infected._ Infected._ No matter how many times the word flashed in his mind, it refused to loose meaning. The word refused to become less fatal or irreversible than reality allowed.

**| What happened? |**  
| I'm going to get you out of here |  
| Slow your breathing |  
| … |

"What happened!?" Nate demanded. "Why did you let yourself get eaten!?" That was ridiculous. He must have been taken off guard. He must not have seen them coming. Vaughan wouldn't have _let_ himself get eaten. He wouldn't have listened to his guilt if it demanded he stay still and wait for the psychos to devour him, right?

**(?) Vaughan can't answer that**

The younger, dying man rasped half sentences and broken off words in Japanese. Tears poured down eyes that still stared upward and perceived nothing but pain and emptiness. Red, yellow, blue, and white flowers watched them with the indifference of inanimate objects.

| I'll try to stop the bleeding |  
**| Speak English |**  
| [Lie] I killed the man who shot Charlie |  
| … |

"Speak English! Fucking… fuck, god _damn_ it!" His brain was firing words faster than his mouth could move. "I can't understand you! Vee? Shit, Vaughan!"

**(?) Vaughan won't remember that**

Nate shifted over, hovering above Vaughan until they were face to face. Vaughan looked through him like he was glass. His murmuring weakened, his breathing shallow and slowed, his shivers lessened in their intensity.

| I should've brought you with me |  
**| Don't do this |**  
| I don't blame you |  
| … |

"C'mon man. Don't do this to me." Nate was pleading with him now. Stupidly, futilely begging. "I can't lose you both in the same goddamn day! _Fucking stop it!"_ Slowly, Vaughan did stop. His body stopped trembling, his mouth stopped moving, and with a final sigh his hoarse breaths stopped as well. Vaughan closed his eyes.

"Vau…" Nate's voice fell below a whisper. "Vaughan?" No reply. The younger, dead man lay on the ground like a torn, bloody chew toy. Nate stared at him for an uncountable amount of time before sitting up. The void vibrated in his mind, numbing all thoughts and feeling with each pulse. Nate let it. The detachment wouldn't last forever no matter how much he wanted it to. So let him go brain dead for a while. Better than the alternative, better than acknowledging that he was now utterly alone.

He looked down at Vaughan; any and all emotion associated with him slowly fading. Then Vaughan's eyes opened. The void screeched to a stop.

"_V-Vaughan?"_ Nate rasped. He hovered over him again. Vaughan's eyes focused in on him. They were faded in colour, empty of life. He extended his hand towards Nate's face, slow movements masquerading peaceful intent. Nate staggered to his feet and out of Vaughan's grasp.

The younger, undead man let out a long monotone groan. He jerked his demented, broken marionette body off the ground. His intestines hung at his sides like ribbons. An organ dropped out of his midsection as he stood. Vaughan stretched his arms in front of him and trudged forward, turning the fallen organ into a bloody pancake under his foot.

Nate stepped back. His head shook with a silent refusal to accept what was happening. But this was really happening. Vaughan was a psycho, seeing him as nothing more than his first meal. Charlie was going to kill him. He let Vaughan die and Charlie was going to kill him. But Charlie was dead too.

Another long groan caused blood and spit to eject from Vaughan's lips. Step after step, he slogged forward and step after step, Nate retreated.

The truck wasn't far away. Nate wouldn't even have to run to get away from his slow, undead friend. But it was cruel to leave Vaughan like that. A bullet straight into the center of his head wouldn't be hard for either of them.

Nate spared a quick glance at the truck.

| Shoot psycho |  
**| Leave |**

If he wanted Vaughan to stop suffering, he should have killed him when he was still alive. This thing wasn't his friend. It couldn't switch between two languages with ease, it couldn't get red in the face when Nate made a lewd comment, it couldn't comfort him and say that everything would be okay. Shooting it or not made no difference, Vaughan was already dead. This _thing_ was dead.

A thousand undead eyes watched Nate run to the truck. Vaughan's moans followed him.

**(?) You chose not to shoot Vaughan**

He drove out of the woods at top speed, passing the hospital the baby died in. He stayed on the long road without a destination, passing the hospital with its broken eye-windows and brick-pores. Two minutes later, he parked his truck on the side of the road and just sat there, across the street from the warning sign of the hospital.

He caught his reflection in the rear view mirror. Nearly blackened blood clung to his face in various stages of moist and dry. His lips were pressed in a tight line. His eyes were too large, too glassy to belong in his head.

An odd shape in his pocket caught his attention. Nate pulled the shape out and held it in his hands. Vaughan's glasses, untouched by gore, felt light in his palms. He never returned them to him. Unfolding the temples of the glasses, he read the engraving written on the inside.

若久戦輝凛 | Wakahisa Charlie

They were gone. They were okay hours ago, and now he'd never see them alive again. It wasn't fair. He wanted them back.

He loved them both. Drops of water hit the lenses.

He loved the both of them. His body quaked uncontrollably.

He loved Vaughan and Charlie.

Nate wailed.

—  
Achievement Unlocked!  
To Really Be Alone  
—


	6. Who Needs Enemies

Nate knew the void in his head caused him to lose track of time after the deaths of Vaughan and Charlie. He assumed he lost a week. Though he wondered; if that was the case, then why had the weather changed so drastically?

With no one to tell him otherwise, he had no way of knowing that the event forty-one days into the apocalypse caused him to blank out for three months. He had no way of knowing that for nearly ninety-one days, he walked the earth as a living zombie.

He hadn't focused on the question for long. Six months into the end of the world- or three months, according to him- driving down a road with no fixed destination in mind, Nate wasn't thinking about much of anything. He didn't wonder when and how he had buried Charlie, or if Vaughan was eating anyone at that moment, or where the bastards who killed his friends were. All he knew is that he was bored and needed to find new music to fill the empty space of his truck. If he were lucky, maybe he could find more Dan Sartain CDs to listen to.

Looking back at the road after taking another swing of whiskey, Nate noticed a figure in the distance. He- if it was a he- walked along the side of the road. Nate drove closer. The figure stopped and turned towards truck. They then turned away for a moment before slowly facing the truck again.

Nate hummed. So the guy- he was sure it was a guy now- wanted a ride? Nate found himself oddly pleased with this. It would give him something to do and he could use the company. Besides, the stranger would fit in his truck just fine. It could hold three people after all.

He slowed to a stop beside the stranger. It was a black kid. He was maybe eighteen, nineteen, or a young looking twenty year old. The black kid, who apparently was called Russell if name on the bag strap wasn't a brand name and the bag actually belonged to him, regarded Nate with suspicion and careful optimism. Nate rolled down his window.

"_Bang!"_ He shouted. As the younger man flinched, Nate smiled inwardly. Maybe this kid would be fun to be around.

"I just killed you."

_**To be continued in The Walking Dead – 400 Days DLC**_

* * *

_Thank you for reading this. There's a link to the tv tropes page, PDF, and website for this fanfic. Check them out if you so desire. I'd also appreciate it if you left a review. Thanks again._


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